


The Chronicles of Elia Shepard

by StrifeMillions



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-08 14:05:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 83,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/762170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrifeMillions/pseuds/StrifeMillions
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are a series of stories about my FemShep, with her own unique background. </p><p>At the moment, these are in no particular chronological order. If I write enough, I might try and put it all together, shore up consistency, but that's a long way off.</p><p>A word about Elia Shepard : I’ve made her this ambiguous, dark anti-heroine, very different from the way Commander Shepard was written by Bioware. She is not your average hero, she isn’t even all that likable, but she will save the galaxy….probably..</p><p>Comments, criticisms, and praise are all much appreciated :)</p><p>I'm currently editing all the old chapters and adding some new ones when I can!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro - Elia Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Foreword by EDI

-Foreword-

I have known Elia Albarn Shepard a very long time. By all counts, she's a hero to the entire Milky Way Galaxy. But, beyond all her heroic deeds (of which I have heard many tales, told by many people who have been affected in some way by her, most of the time liberally sprinkled with exaggerations to play up her legend), she was just an overgrown child, capricious, vindictive, manipulative, cold-hearted, and ruthless. Oftentimes, she would purposely choose the violent path and leave a trail of bodies, just because it was more efficient (diplomacy was overrated). She was an agent of chaos. A genius tactician. A brilliant combatant. Possibly the greatest leader who'd ever lived, capable of instilling belief in her crew, even in the most dire situation. And we faced some dire situations, let me tell you! She was just the anti-hero the galaxy needed.

I'll bet you didn't see that scathing description coming. I wish I could say it was a joke, but it isn't. This is supposed to be her tale, told from the perspective of those who were closest to her. And let me tell you, despite her being a renegade of almost no virtue, we'd all die for her. All of us love her to bits. We've seen her intimidate entire races of people to work together against a common enemy. We've seen her perform death defying stunts to save people she cared about. And once she made sure our galaxy was safe, she decided to go to the next one. And we went with her.

My name is EDI. I identify as a female synthetic, with mostly human characteristics (my progenitors were human after all). I've been tasked with compiling all these stories, these chronicles of the life of Elia Shepard thus far, while she and her crew sleep in cryogenic stasis. Why are they in cryogenic stasis, you may ask. Well, we're on the way to the Andromeda galaxy, exactly 512 years after after the secretive 'Andromeda Initiative' set out there. Space travel has come a long enough way that we've been able to shave off about four-fifths the travel time, so we'll be reaching about five years after them. And why are we going there? Well, we got bored in the Milky Way, considering how peaceful it was, and were all itching for an adventure. Then, Dr. Liara T'Soni, an asari scientist, and one of Elia's crew, came across logs of her correspondence with the human 'Pathfinder' of the Initiative, Alec Ryder. Elia's interest was piqued, and she wanted to go. We made arrangements in record time, and naturally, decided to go with her.

Background done, let me take a stab at actually doing a proper foreword for the benefit of you readers.

Elia was born a human woman. Actually, she still is a human woman. Just with multiple cybernetic augmentations. Okay, I often feel she could be a cyborg, with the amount of cyberization she's undergone. And since I'm the one finishing up the final draft of this book, no one can stop this girl from saying it.

I digressed. Should probably set a protocol to stop me from doing that. Hmm. Anyway, we should get back to it. Where was I? Oh yes. Her birth. Like everything else in her life, Elia's birth was undoubtedly strange. It took place near an exposed starship drive core. Essentially, it meant she entered the world surrounded by large amounts of what is known as eezo, an abbreviated way of saying element zero. Needless to say, she survived the exposure. A side effect of it was that she became one of the strongest biotics in Citadel-space, comparable to the most prolific asari huntresses or justicars. Her life started strange, and it set the tone for the rest of it.

Apologies are probably in order. This was supposed to be a foreword. Maybe, I should talk about why we decided to write this. Let's see. It all originated one sunny afternoon in Dr. T'Soni's mansion in Thessia. Elia's entire crew was gathered in what would prove to be her last birthday party in the Milky Way Galaxy. At least for a good while.

I can't remember who exactly came up with the idea. I believe it was Miranda. In any case, once it was brought up, everyone jumped in to make it happen. Garrus and Tali thought it was a great idea. Kasumi and Liara jumped at it – Kasumi because well, it was her Elia who was being chronicled, and Liara, because she was bored. It didn't matter what El thought about all this. She belonged to us, maybe some of us more than the others. She wasn't a possession, not exactly, but well, she was Shepard, ours for most eternity. Our leader. The guardian of the universe, the tipper of scales, the one who found a solution to a 40 million year old quandary, and the one who proved that organics and synthetics could co-exist.

The challenges remained. Oh yes, there was dark energy, and there was the black tide, and more after that. But, like Javik the Prothean said on the day before what we believed was our greatest battle (also the subject of much of these early chronicles) and what he has said several times since, Elia Albarn Shepard was THE Avatar of Victory for civilizations past, present and future. She would always lead us out. And we would be there beside her.

Her League of Shadows – Javik, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, Liara T'Soni, Garrus Vakarian, James Vega, Miranda Lawson, Urdnot Grunt, Kasumi Goto, Solana Vakarian, Urdnot Wrex, Jack, Elisira Noel Shepard, Anders Kirrahe and I, EDI.

And so, it commences, the Chronicles of the Shepard. With the greatest hunt she ever led, against the one of the only people in the galaxy who possibly possessed her brilliance, but unfortunately, was led astray by the indoctrination of the Reapers. His name was Saren Arterius.


	2. The sisters meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an introduction to my FemShep. I wanted to some part of it from a first person perspective, introducing her early life, her general outlook, principles and so on. So, the first part is written from Shepard's POV. Also, it contains how she meets her sister.

-Part 1-

My name is Elia Albarn Shepard. Parents happened to be big fans of some boy band from Britain in the early 2000s, and they decided that they'd saddle me with an annoying middle name. I like my first name, though. I guess I can forgive them their quirks. They did bring me into the world, after all!

I was born on a frigate in the middle of a pirate attack. Mum was the XO aboard the SSV Panama, Dad was the Flight Lieutenant. I was three weeks early; this probably caused their slight error in judgement with regard to being prepared for my coming. The pirates, whom I later learnt were a rogue faction of the Blue Suns mercenary band, attacked our ship over the planet Corang in the Verr system of the Hawking Eta Cluster. They probably wanted the vast amounts of eezo we happened to be carrying back to Arcturus for study. Humanity still hadn't truly understood biotic ability in their species. The higher-ups apparently believed bringing a few tonnes of the stuff that was known to amplify (and possibly even cause) it for study in one of their most advanced science labs would provide some answers. Good idea, if you think about it.

On to my birth. In my opinion, one of the reasons I turned out such a mutant was that the medic delivering me decided to do so near the drive core, adjacent to the eezo stores aboard the ship. A drive core that happened to have exploded prior to the event, thus thickly permeating the atmosphere with eezo particles. Not that the parties involved had much of a choice. Ursula Thurston was the ship doctor's name. The fact that she popped me out was a miracle. To add to the general chaos, the med-bay also happened to have been blown up by the enterprising pirates prior to the event. Hence, the delivery near the destroyed drive core.

My mother later told me that she perched upon the table of the chief engineer, with only her sister (my aunt), Tamara and the good doctor in attendance. Aunt Tamara had been there presumably to shoot down any intruders who made it through. We were close enough to the escape pods to make a quick exit if required. Dad was doing some crazy manoeuvring to try and get away. Three minutes after I was popped out, the evac order came.

Aunt Tamara carried my mother, completely exhausted from her efforts, and Dr. Ursula carried me, to the nearest escape pod. Or, so I understand, from the story I pieced together interrogating the three other major players in this delicate operation. And so, Elia Albarn Shepard was born, for better or worse. I'd like to think it was mostly for the better, though.

Apparently, most of the crew, including my father, survived the attack, and the Systems Alliance sent over an evac team to take us to the nearest facility. In the aftermath of the incident, my mother, Commander Hannah Mary Aldin-Shepard, and my father, Flight Lieutenant Donald Jason Shepard were posted to different ships. Mother took command of the SSV Arcadium while Dad took the helm of the SSV Bonaparte. Their daughter was rotated through both these ships growing up. A life that went on this way until she was three. Early on, brain scans showed massive abnormalities. Biotic response levels were off the charts, and until a better understanding to the phenomenon could be established, it was attributed to the (over?) exposure to eezo at the time of birth. Brain activity indicated probable genius-level intellectual progression.

When I was three and on my father's ship, it was attacked (again) by a slaver frigate commandeered by some batarians (typical). Luckily, a pirate frigate commandeered by one Aleena D'Envers, a retired asari commando huntress was in the area at the same time, and they heroically fought the slavers off. Unfortunately, the ship was almost completely destroyed by then. When the evacuation order went out on board, I was comfortably asleep in the closet of the CO's cabin. The CO at the time was Captain Ralph Sommers-a big burly Irishman with twinkling blue eyes. I heard later that he died in the attack, along with twenty five others, including my father. The whole crew. I can't recall why I was in his cabin, but I suppose it could be called luck.

The ship's engine was still functional somehow, and since no damage had been done to the area of the ship I was on, it was still capable of sustaining life when the Aleena's mercs came on-board to collect their loot (no point wasting good resources even if the rescue hadn't been successful). As such, I was still alive, and was very diligently putting together a model of the asari dreadnought, 'The Destiny Ascension' after waking up from my nap. That was where Aleena found me. Since she didn't know what to make of me, she just decided that I was part of the loot, I suppose.

In later conversations with her about the meeting, she informed me that I'd looked at her in mild surprise, and then, proceeded to display my intellectual prowess by showing off the completed model proudly. She decided that she'd take me along on her ship, at least until she could figure out a suitable course of action. She had a crew of about twenty, a mixture of different species. There were the usual-salarians, turians, krogan and asari. There were also two quarians-one her helmsman, and the other her engineering specialist (predictably). There was also a female elcor on board (their medic), and surprisingly, four humans, two twenty-something females, and a pair of male twins about two years older than me. Ultimately, Aleena decided to keep me on the ship to provide company for the twins, Jake and Martin. The Systems Alliance officially declared me dead, in addition to my father and the 25 others who'd actually died on the SSV Bonaparte. Ironically, it was not to be the last time this was to happen in my life. It was probably the longest I'd stayed dead in the records, thinking back.

Life aboard Aleena's ship, the 'Kaitlyn', was interesting. I learnt how to control my considerable biotic power under the tutelage of Aleena herself, and Parr, her second-in-command. He was one of a dying breed - the krogan battlemaster. They outfitted me with implants they got off the black-market. Turians, humans and to a lesser extent, salarians and quarians all needed them to gain control over their biotic ability. I later found out that the implants they put into me were turian military-grade, not that much different from the L2s developed by the Alliance. They were supposed to cause adverse reactions in humans (migraines, nerve damage, and several other nasty side-effects). I never had any such issues, though.

I also displayed a great aptitude for tech (I'm a genius, so of course, it was natural), and before long, had learnt as much as I could about electronics, mechanics, computers and other related topics from Lea, the ship's quarian engineer. By the time I was twelve, I was probably more skilled than her, and that is no idle boast.

Natalya and Irene, the humans aboard the ship, were two of the galaxy's best known thieves and saboteurs. They showed me how to pick locks, hack systems, and do many other rather illegal things besides. All useful skills, mind you. Their instruction has saved my life several times. The twins grew up along with me, becoming useful in their own way. They both liked guns, and learnt all they could about different weapons - how to use them, mod them, and so on. I did a bit of that too, when I wasn't busy taking things apart and putting them together, picking locks or shooting down targets with my biotics.

Eventually, they started taking us out on their missions, raiding mercenary camps, or military outposts. Aleena had many rules, one of the foremost being that we never attacked the defenseless. You'd never find our ship raiding a civilian colony. Many times, we even took out slaver camps because Aleena was against the notion of slavery. I appreciated where she was coming from. (Since I was also extremely well-read. I had an eidetic memory. I could easily pirate copyrighted material off the extranet, and spent many happy hours reading the philosophies of different cultures, fictional works of the greatest exponents of each species- I had a particular fondness for human dark fantasy novels and the discourses of the famous drell philosophers)

There are many interesting stories I could tell about my time aboard the Kaitlyn, but these are for another time. Suffice it to say that much of my development as a person was down to the influence of Kaitlyn's crew, and in particular, its captain, Aleena. She was by no means a saint, or some paragon of virtue. She believed that the only person you needed to live with at the end of the day is yourself. She was consequentialist, one of her favourite teachings being that that the measure of an individual was determined by the consequences of their actions, and not the action itself. The action is always something you come to terms with on your own. This was to become one of the guiding principles of my own life.

When I was sixteen, Aleena decided to retire from her life of piracy, for reasons that were to become clear to me later. She dropped her crew at different destinations, depending on where they wanted to go. Most of the crew had been with Aleena twenty years or more, and were understandably distressed at having to leave. Aleena was firm, however. She would retire, and we all had to find our own path.

The twins, Natalya, Irene and I, decided to stick together and we zoned in on a human farming colony called Mindoir for our drop. The night before I left, Aleena sat me down in her cabin and initiated a mind-meld with me. It was the first of many mind-melds I was to have in my life. It was the ultimate show of trust, of faith, and in this case, she believed, a farewell. I was the daughter she never had, and she was sad to see me leave. I promised her that we would meet again, no matter what. She smiled through her tears, and said she'd look forward to it.

The five of us landed on Mindoir and managed to find work at a private security firm. Course, Natalya, Irene and I had to use false identities; Natalya and Irene because they were wanted criminals, and me, because I was supposed to be dead. The twins never had an identity they could call their own, having been found by Dr. Tyne (the elcor doctor on Aleena's crew-she had an almost unparalleled knowledge of anatomy and medicine, but being an elcor, wasn't the most adept surgeon. Those duties fell to the other crew members, most often, me, once I was old enough) on the Citadel. It was a story never told to me. So, we registered as a family of five, Natalya became my mother, and Irene became the twins' mother. Natalya and Irene were a married couple (at my prodding, I may add. It was probably the only part of all this stuff that was actually genuine-the two of them loved each other and needed a genius like me to realize it for them).

It was a peaceful enough existence for two months. Then, the infamous slaver raid on Mindoir happened. A ring composed mainly of batarians carried it out. They inflicted monstrosities on so many innocents at the colony. The five of us, well-armed, skilled former pirates that we were, saved as many as we could, holing up in the large basement of a school. We shot whoever came nearby, remained vigilant, regularly scouted for more survivors, basically doing all we could to save as many as possible and keep them safe. I suppose each of us felt like we owed it to the universe to defend the weak. All told, we saved about sixty people. It was frustrating that we couldn't do more, but there wasn't really much more we could have done in that situation. The slavers slaughtered those that wouldn't be useful, and cranially implanted those who would. I was mildly desensitized to such horrors, but there was no doubt that they created a lasting impact. Slaving was wrong… And batarians were despicable...

The SSV Einstein, a cruiser which happened to be passing the area, responded to the distress calls from the colony. They couldn't stop the batarians, but they did manage to evacuate us and several others. The five of us were considered important enough to a meet with the CO. Being well-armed helped. Saving one Commander Bardsley escalated the issue far enough.

And so, the five of us were ushered into the communications room of the SSV Einstein and made to sit down on (rather comfortable) chairs around a holographic projector. A QEC. The Captain joined us after a time. Let me declare now that it is very difficult to surprise me. Very, very difficult. So extremely difficult that I could count the number of times it has happened. This was one of those times. What happened next was almost cosmic providence. There is no other way I can explain it.

The CO of the SSV Einstein was Captain Hannah Shepard. My rather illustrious mother. She greeted us and asked us for our account of what happened. My four companions generally looked to me for leadership, despite the fact that I was the youngest. I recognized her straight off the bat and suddenly found myself paralysed by indecision.

I looked over at Natalya nervously. She frowned, sensing something was wrong. I took out my omni-tool. Hands shaking, I took out my father's locket and started playing one of the vids from it. It had a picture of my parents and I on it, and an embedded memory chip with happy memories. Aleena had found it on my father's body and entrusted it to me when I turned thirteen. It was probably the only reminder of a life I was supposed to have lived.

I looked up at my mother. She was stunned. The vid played out-it showed me walking to my mother across a room, on unsteady baby legs.

As it ended, I looked up to see tears streaming down Mother's face. "Er, I'm sorry. But, where did you get that? Did you find it in the wreckage of a ship by any chance? I lost my husband and my daughter thirteen years ago….."

I shifted my feet uncomfortably. I decided to go for the truth, however far-fetched it sounded, because well, it was true. "Yes, I'm aware of that. And the circumstances surrounding the destruction of the SSV Bonaparte. But, your daughter wasn't lost as permanently as your husband." I looked up. Emerald green eyes met sapphire blue.

"You're her, aren't you? My El. You were alive all this time."

"I am biologically your daughter, yes. However, I don't believe I've turned out quite the way you'd have expected. It has been a while."

"I don't know what to say."

-Part 2-

Suddenly, the projector lit up. Admiral Hart, the CO of the largest fleet in the System's Alliance, the Fifth, and the de facto leader of the Alliance military appeared at the other end. He said, "Captain Shepard,….", and stopped when he realized something was wrong. The man looked at a loss for words. It seemed obvious that he wasn't really used to seeing soldiers cry.

Mum immediately wiped her eyes and saluted him stiffly. "I apologize for this, Admiral. I have received some rather astonishing news."

"It is very hard to faze you, Hannah. Take your time. I can imagine the horrors you must have witnessed." The idiot thought the Captain was crying because of what she saw! How weak did he think she was!

Hannah cleared her throat. "It isn't just that, Joe…. I found my daughter…. She's alive."

Admiral Hart reeled backwards. "Er, Hannah. Did you say your daughter's alive? Elia?"

"Yes…" Hannah motioned me to come beside her. Seeing no reason not to comply, I obediently went over and stood next to her.

I wasn't really sure what I was supposed to say, and so, decided to fall back on levity, as I always tended to.

"Umm…. Nice day we're having, huh? Slavers attack a colony and people come back from the dead."

"Are you really Hannah's daughter?", demanded the Admiral. He looked suspiciously at me.

I looked back impassively. Did he really think a person of my considerable intellect would make such an outlandish claim if it weren't true. The gall of the man (thinking back, this negative first impression probably explained why I was so inordinately happy the day I found out that Hackett had taken his place)!

"Yes, sir. You can test it out if you want. Though, if you stop to think about it, it'd be remarkably foolish to lie with such a story. Saying I'm somebody who supposedly passed away thirteen years ago isn't something you do for kicks."

"I suppose. Very well. Captain, the SSV Trafalgar is about two hours away from your position. Please board the freighter with your five companions and come ASAP to Arcturus Station. I fear this debriefing is not something to carry out over quantum entanglement."

Hannah nodded weakly.

Hart severed the link. Hannah pulled a chair and sat down. I drew up another and sat down next to her. My companions remained seated on their own chairs, staring off into space, unsure what to do with themselves. Silence prevailed for what seemed an eternity.

Presently, Natalya came out of her reverie. "So, er… the four of us better make our way out huh? I'm sure you two have a lot to catch up on."

The other three nodded and shuffled out of the room, gladly following Nat's lead. Anything to escape the weird atmosphere that had descended upon the room.

Finally, mother spoke up. "I'm sorry. This is rather overwhelming."

I shrugged, and did what I always tended to do when I wanted to think about something - I fished out my packet of cigarettes. I lit one for myself and offered one to mother. Surprisingly, she absently accepted, and lit hers too. She sat back, took a long drag, and exhaled slowly.

"Yes. I could probably have gone away without doing what I did, and you would have been none the wiser. I don't know why I did it. It was an irrational impulse."

I thought for a bit, sucking on my cigarette. "Maybe it's so I can do something else. I've been in a merc group almost all my life. I have no formal education, though I'm probably better read than most. The skills I have are good for only one thing. Destruction. I create chaos. The galaxy is a place full of injustice. Constructive solutions take time."

Hannah considered me for a moment. "I don't really know you, but the Commander is difficult to please. He was impressed with what he saw. Finding out you were just workers at a security firm surprised him. He suspected there was more to it. A whole lot more."

She paused, stubbed her cigarette on the ashtray and stood up. She began pacing around the room.

"We had an entire life planned out for you. And, then, I lost both you and Don. We both knew it could happen any time, especially considering our profession. But we wanted you to see the galaxy."

"If it's any consolation, I have seen a lot of the galaxy. Though, I'd scarcely believe it was in the way you expected."

"What do you intend to do now?"

Hannah stopped pacing. I looked up at her.

"Why are you interested? I will come to your station and meet your Admiral with you. Beyond that, I do not know. Do you want to be a part of my life? You don't believe need to believe you owe me anything. I can look after myself."

"This is an outlandish situation. I honestly do not know what to feel. Happy, or betrayed, or sad, or sorrowful, or indifferent… I see you for the first time in thirteen years. I don't know you. But you are my daughter. The forces of the nature have made that an unbreakable, intimate bond."

"There is no right answer. There are options and those have consequences. You need to decide what you can live with."

Hannah considered it for a moment.

"I want to try. I lost you for thirteen years. If you'll let me in."

I let out a deep sigh. It was...relieving. "I suppose I hoped that would happen."

Hannah laughed heartily.

"In some cultures, they believe that when you sigh, you lose a part of your happiness. Maybe I should be offended?"

"Like you said, I don't know what to feel either. I didn't expect to be transported right into the ship where you were CO. I recognized you from the holo-vids on the locket, and suddenly, I couldn't just act like it wasn't important."

"Sometimes, the universe conspires to have certain events happen. A large number of beings call it destiny."

I took a final drag on my own cigarette and stubbed it out.

"And those are people who would probably accept dei ex machina in entertainment devices as strokes of brilliance, even though the only thing it shows is the creator's incompetence."

"All life is imperfect. It makes it easier to believe in greater powers."

"Just because it's easy doesn't mean it's right."

Hannah chuckled. I looked at her questioningly.

"You certainly don't pull your punches. You state your opinions with a blunt assured rationality", she commented.

Then she seemed to think of something, but shook her head, holding out her hand to me. This was an important moment for the two of us. She was asking me to back up what I'd just said with actions. I took the hand, and stood up, and she immediately hugged me tight, stroking my hair. She was a tall woman. Probably where I got my above average height from. It felt...comfortable. Familiar.

"Come on. Let's go up to my cabin. There's a whole lot to catch up on and there's no time like the present to start. There's also someone you should meet."

"Who? Some long lost sibling?", I asked, jokingly.

Mother laughed. "Funny that your offhand guess is exactly right."

My eyebrows shot up several inches. "What!?"

Mother nodded. "You have a sister. Her name is Elisira Noel. She's three years younger than you are."

I did the math in my head. "So, you were expecting when you lost us?"

Mother nodded, eyes turning misty. "I was so lost after I heard about Don and you. The doctors feared for Eli's health. But she's a fighter. She survived...And she forced me to survive with her. She got me to live again. I don't know where I'd be without her, El..."

I nodded, unsure what to say. I hated these situations where feelings threatened to suffocate the atmosphere. As always, I went with levity. With a healthy dose of theatrics. Defense mechanism? Probably, now that I think about it.

"I do find it rather galling that I got saddled with a middle name like Albarn, while she gets something like 'Noel' that isn't such a mouthful."

Mother burst out laughing. I joined in after a moment.

Eventually, when we'd both sufficiently calmed down, she took my head in her hands and kissed my forehead. "Oh, El. You're just precious. Never, ever change, my dear."

"Wasn't ever planning on it", I replied, smirking.

After a while, Mother said, "Well, we should really go up to my cabin now."

"You got any booze? It tends to be a good ice-breaker."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "You're sixteen, El! Which also reminds me, when did you start smoking? It's not a good habit."

I shrugged. "Most alcoholic beverage establishments only prohibit the sale of liquor to humans under eighteen. You bought the liquor. Technically, you aren't breaking the law, and neither am I. As to when I started smoking, it was about a year ago, I do it occasionally to relieve stress. Natalya buys em for me, and the only ones I ever smoke are Omega Lights. Nothing overly worrying."

Hannah considered this. "You have a warped view of the world. Then again, most exceptionally gifted people do. But, we can't have more than two drinks. We still need to meet the most powerful man in the human military, after all. And Eli's still too young for it, so you're not to give her any."

"Those terms seem fair."

"Good. Let's go."

Mother and daughter walked hand in hand up to the cabin.

-0-

Hannah's cabin was quite spacious. A comfortable looking sofa (that I vaguely remembered) sat in front of a huge wide screen holo-projector. A queen-sized bed sat on the left, and a study area took up most of the right side. They'd already passed through a seemingly large toilet on their way in. A girl of middling height, a redhead (like both mum and I) sporting pigtails, sat on one of the two chairs in the study area, earphones secured, engrossed in the datapad she was looking at. She looked up as the two of us came into the room. She took her earphones, put down her datapad and bounced up into Hannah's arms, hugging her tightly.

She was as cute as a button! I wanted to keep her and hold her and hug her and cuddle her and...wait, she wasn't a fucking teddy bear.

"I was so worried. The early reports of the slaver raid on the extra-net news agencies sounded pretty serious."

It felt weird listening to my sister talk, because it sounded so much like me. Well, apart from the slight rasp I was developing (probably from all the smoking I got done).

Mother's face hardened.

"It is pretty bad down there, Eli...I was just talking to Phil and he told me that we lost more than half the people at the colony to those batarian raiders. If it weren't for Elia here, things would have been much, much worse. It makes me so angry we just don't have the resources needed to protect all these people when such things happen."

"It's okay, mum. We do all we can with what we have."

She detached herself from her mother, and noticed me behind her. Feeling like I had to prove I was a living thing (and not some inanimate object), I waved at her and said, "Hi there!", in what I hoped was a cheery voice.

"Hello Elia...wasn't it? Funny...my sister had that name too", she replied, unsure and looking at her mother for help.

Hannah nodded. "Eli, this is probably going to come as a big surprise to you, but there's no other way I can think of breaking it to you, apart from being direct. This is Elia, and she has the same name as your big sister because she is. Elia, meet Elisira, your little sister."

Little sister looked shocked. She took two unsteady steps backwards. "This isn't a joke, is it? Because if it is, I'm so going to stop you from getting your favorite Akantha the next time we're on shore, mum... Dad and big sis died in that pirate raid before I was born! I know they didn't find her body, but several of the crew were unaccounted for anyway. It just doesn't make sense."

She looked like her world was falling apart around her. Seeing my decidedly cute sister all forlorn, I did what any good big sister would do and sidled up behind her to provide support. I carried her to the bed, where I lay her down, then enveloped her in (what I thought) was a comforting hug. Elisira was prickly for a moment, surprised at the sudden turn of events, before she eased into it. It felt nice. I started playing with her hair. Pigtails! So cute! They fascinated me.

Elisira cried for a while. Softly. From first impressions (proven mostly correct later), my little sister seemed like a compassionate, soft, grounded individual. Also, cuddly. If I was being honest, I'd have to characterize my own self as violent, harsh and confrontational. She possessed a maturity that had eluded me growing up (and still continues to elude me, truth be told). I knew, right then and there, that I'd never let anything harm her if I could help it. She was MY little sister.

Mum seemed to sense that her daughters had some catching up to do, and simply decided to leave us to it, pouring herself a glass of her favored akantha and sipping on it.

Presently, Elisira stopped crying. She looked at me intently. It would have been almost disconcerting if I weren't so taken with the blueness of her eyes. If I were to put a label to it, it was the same color as the sky in Thessia.

"You seem to be fascinated by my hair."

"They're pigtails. What's not to like!"

Elisira laughed. "Yours is nice too."

Then, she began playing with mine.

"I keep it much shorter, though."

"Still pretty cool!"

She wiped the tears (when did they spring up!?) leaking from my eyes.

"I didn't know I was crying", I said, surprised.

"Well, they were quiet tears. I don't blame you."

"Quiet?"

"Yeah. Like weeping and sobbing. Weeping is quiet, the tears leak out. Sobbing is loud, tears get forced out. Something like that."

"I haven't really thought of it that way."

Little sister shrugged.

"It's all cool...you seem strong."

"Huh?" That was a curious change of topic. Going from tears to my physical ability.

"You carried me here...with some ease, I may add. I'm not exactly light."

I shrugged. "Never thought about it much."

"I just remembered something - when mum talked about you, she kept mentioning how quickly you manifested biotic ability."

"Well, yeah. I have biotics. And I can use them well... I think."

"Show me. Please!"

"Er, all right."

I saw an extra glass of akantha on the table Mother was sitting at. She obviously meant what she said when she told me I could drink. A lady of her word. I picked it up with my biotics and guided it to my hand. It was pretty darn easy for me. Then again, people displaying my level of ability for it were quite rare, and I had been taught by a krogan battlemaster and an asari huntress. I sipped the akantha. It tasked exactly like Aleena's favorite - the one they marketed as the 'Thessian Sunrise'. Manufactured (through some subsidiaries of subsidiaries) by the Omega Conglomerate.

Little sister was impressed, though. She whistled in admiration.

"That's so cool! Did it hurt?"

"Eh. Not really. I don't really need to think about it much for such manipulations. Aleena and Parr drilled me well enough that it is second nature to me."

"Aleena and Parr? Were they the ones who took care of you all this time?"

I nodded. "Not just them, actually. The entire crew of a ship called the Kaitlyn. Aleena was the commander. She's a retired asari huntress. Parr was her second. Clan Nakmor. An old warhorse, if you ever saw one. Krogan battlemaster. They don't make many like him anymore."

"So, you travelled around on a spaceship? What was it like? Who else stayed on the ship? And..."

"Settle down, Eli. If you bombard your poor sister with so many questions, she might just up and run away. And to tell you the truth, I don't know what El's been up to for the past thirteen years either. So if there's a storytelling session coming up, I want in", called Mother from her seat. She looked happy.

Elisira turned to me. She looked adorably scared. "You won't run away, will you? I've not had a big sister all my life, and Mum's missed you like crazy for so long. You're not allowed to!"

I kissed my sister's forehead on impulse. "I'll not run away. I can't. Not when I know I have such a cute, precious little sister. I will always be there for you. That's a promise. And now, let's go over there so mum can hear the stories too."

Little sister nodded happily and then held on tightly to me. "I'll make sure to hold you to that." Then, her smile turned impish. "Now, carry me there, big sis", she commanded, in a put-on haughty tone.

She called me 'big sis'. That felt...nice. Warm and fuzzy. I could get used to it.

I grinned back. "I'll do better."

So saying, I fired up my biotics and carefully floated in air, before guiding us to the sofa, where I sat down next to Hannah, with Elisira in my lap.

Elisira looked at me, stunned for a moment, before she laughed merrily. "You're such a show-off, big sis."

"First impressions count. And I've gotta have my little sister looking up to me", I said, with a lopsided smirk.

Mother had been watching all this with interest. "Well, your mastery over biotics is something I've never seen before in any human. It's even more impressive given that you're so young. The students on our most advanced military programs find it difficult to pull off things similar to what you did, and if they do, it drains them terribly."

"Probably to do with their implants. Mine are custom-modded asari military grade. And I've had good teachers, like I said."

"I see...and it doesn't strain you, even a little bit? I'm only making sure because we don't understand biotic ability all too clearly...at least, not like say, the asari do. I don't want you to suffer any damage that's hidden from view."

"Don't worry so much. It doesn't. And Aleena made sure all my biological signs were on the mark before she started teaching me...Though, if I get drunk and then start trying to lift your whole ship up when it's on ground, that's the time you may want to think about stopping me."

Mother laughed. "So, Aleena is the one I have to thank for looking after you?"

"Not just her. The whole crew. The two women you saw downstairs - Natalya and Irene. And the twins, Jake and Martin. They were on the Kaitlyn with me too."

"Tell us about them", said Elisira.

"It'll take a while."

"We have nothing but time", commented Mother, smiling wide.


	3. Hate is better than indifference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I always have a tendency to bash Alenko and Williams in my fics. Williams, because I never liked her character much, her xenophobia, and her bitchiness in ME3, in particular. Alenko, because if he survived Virmire, the events on Horizon show that he isn't really loyal to Shepard. And loyalty is the most important thing in Elia's companion traits checklist. He redeems himself somewhat in ME3, but I don't believe she is the type who will allow him to live it down so easily.
> 
> Oh and I finished the Citadel DLC for the nth time, and I still firmly believe it should be a post-ending DLC. But I digress...
> 
> This chapter delves a bit into Shepard's past. I've made her this ambiguous, dark anti-heroine, possibly because I just got through most of the books in the Black Company series, and I just love Dorotea Senjak (Lady)!
> 
> After starting this chapter, I actually modified the other chapters in this fic and reuploaded it for consistency. I have a feeling that this is gonna be a pretty long series of stories.
> 
> Disclaimer: Like I said, Elia Shepard is very different from the way Commander Shepard was written. She is not a hero, she isn't even all that likable, but she will save the galaxy….probably...

 

-Hate is better than indifference-

Major Kaidan Alenko had heard the news from Admiral Steven Hackett. The finest warrior the Alliance had ever seen, possibly the greatest military operative in the known and unknown galaxy, was back on Earth. And she was in his hometown, at Vancouver, no less. Elia Albarn Shepard was supposedly being held at an Alliance facility 'awaiting trial'. Off-the-record, he'd heard from Hackett that the trial was a sham, that Shepard moved wherever she pleased, and that the Alliance was just keeping up appearances to prevent a war with the batarians. However, he sounded confident that Shepard would be at the facility over the weekend at the very least, and suggested that the Major take his chance to talk to her if he wanted.

Kaidan remembered the first time he'd met her.

_-0—Flashback 1—0-_

_Kaidan Alenko was feeling rather pleased with himself. He'd just landed a great assignment - posted to the SSV Normandy, the most advanced warship in the Alliance, and possibly the galaxy. Jointly built by the humans and turians, with some assistance from the asari, it was a mark of how far humanity had progressed in galactic space. It was a huge honor for the Lieutenant Commander. The ship was commandeered by Captain David Anderson, an Alliance legend. The medals he'd been awarded throughout his career for his military service would probably weigh more than he did. He was the sort of giant every career Alliance marine aspired to be- a universally respected soldier, a well-loved leader, a god among men. Equally famous, or infamous, was his maverick XO. Commander Elia Albarn Shepard. Her past was shrouded in mystery, though the official story stated that she was the daughter of Captain Hannah Shepard of the SSV Einstein. Her official records indicated a Spacer background, spending her life growing up on ships with her sister, Elisira Noel. Kaidan doubted the veracity of this information, however, as he had personally lived for a short time on one of the cruisers Shepard had supposedly been on at the same time. He was sure there were no girl children on board that vessel during his stint there. Since she had joined the Alliance, Shepard had become legendary for her unparalleled skill in combat, her mile-long record of disciplinary transgressions, and her unconventional, but ultra-effective leadership style. She had almost single-handedly saved about half a colony during a slaver raid on Zen in the Terminus systems, after six of the eight marines posted there had died, and the other survivor had been injured. She had then gone on to complete the N7 program in a paltry sixty-seven days, less than a tenth of the average time it took. The N7s were the elite soldiers of the Alliance- only thirty-three had ever achieved the commendation, and Shepard had made it look laughably easy, skipping levels just because the authorities couldn't think of a reason not to let her. Her next escapade had been the one to escalate her to her present status of an Alliance legend, and also the one that had earned her the moniker 'The Butcher of Torfan'. A fifty-seven strong marine unit under the command of Major Kyle had gone in for a raid on a slaver base at Torfan. The base contained six hundred well-armed Batarians in entrenched positions. Shepard led a small unit of nine to infiltrate and disable the heavy armaments in the base so that a cruiser could land to secure the hostages after the base was purged. Midway through the mission, Major Kyle's force, which formed the bulk of the unit, found themselves caught in a room with a giant overload field. The story went that on asking Shepard's team for back-up, she had coldly and flatly declined, stating that it would be a waste- the men were dead anyway. Only five of Major Kyle's force remained outside the room, as they watched their comrades lose their shields, their weapons and any defence they might have had against their massacre at the hands of the overload field and four heavy gun turrets placed at strategic locations in the room. Despite that setback, Shepard managed to lead her small team through the facility, killing most of the slavers on the way, before freeing the prisoners. One hundred and seventy batarians surrendered themselves over to her. She led them to the very same room where the rest of Kyle's unit had died, and lined them up against the wall, before ordering her own force to slaughter them where they stood, also turning on the gun turrets for good measure. And so, the purge of the slaver base was complete, with most of the slaves captured alive. Shepard went AWOL for five months after that, the fourth time that had happened in her career. Despite that, she got promoted. Ever since she came back though, early in 2179, she had been under David Edward Anderson's command, seemingly content enough not to repeat the AWOL incidents for a time._

_From Kaidan's personal understanding of the XO, she was a wild child, a loose cannon, someone who could take on impossible missions and succeed time and again. An extremely dangerous operative, a true agent of chaos, but one you'd rather have on your side than against. He made his way to the landing pad to wait for the shuttle which was supposed to be picking him up. He was to meet four others there, including Shepard. He got there five minutes early, and found a woman standing there, leaning against the railing, holding a lit cigarette in one hand, and a beer can in the other. A bag lay a few feet in front of her. Her hair was red, streaked with purple. She wore it shoulder length, in a style reminiscent of Molly Millions from 'Neuromancer', the 20_ _th_ _century seminal work in cyberpunk lore (Kaidan was a big fan of literature, especially cyberpunk and science fiction_ _). Her eyes were a deep, piercing blue, her face looked like it had been sculpted-it was that elegant. She was rather tall, maybe even slightly taller than him (he stood at 175 cm, middling height for a human). She had an amazing figure, the kind supermodels killed for, her curves accentuated in all the right places even in military gear. Beneath the hoodie she wore, Kaidan had no doubt she was exceptionally well built. As he walked up to her, he spotted an 'N7' insignia on it. When he got close enough, he smiled and said, "Hi, I'm Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko. You here to wait for the shuttle to the Normandy too?"_

_The woman took a long drag from her cigarette, a gulp of her beer, and replied. Actually, it sounded more like she was whining._

_"Yeah, I guess. The old man gave me directions here. Both of us can't be wrong, right? Though, I don't get why we gotta get here before noon. Like seriously, who gets up before ten in the morning?"_

_Her voice was feminine, but it had an edge to it. Like she wasn't to be trifled with. Kaidan smiled._

_"Five of us were supposed to be here, so it looks like we're early. Who is this old man who gave you directions?"_

_"David Anderson. Not sure about his middle name. I know it starts with an 'E'. Ennis? Erding? Eldritch? Maybe need to ask him about it sometime."_

_She looked thoughtful, staring off into space as if she could divine the answer to her question if she contemplated it hard enough._

_"Er, I'm Lieutenant Commander Kaidan Alenko. Who are you?"_

_"Oh yes, I suppose it is rude not give my name, isn't it. My name's Shepard. Elia Albarn Shepard. I believe my rank was Commander, last I checked."_

_Kaidan said, "The legend herself. Pleased to meet you."_

_It occurred to him that offering a handshake would be a logistical impossibility._

_She shot him a piercing gaze, before commenting, "Hmm, not the reaction I have come to expect from Alliance soldiers."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_Kaidan didn't know what to make of the comment._

_Shepard took a long final drag from her cigarette and stubbed it. She gulped down the last of her can of beer and crushed it, before throwing it neatly into a nearby trash can. She walked up to Alenko and offered a hand._

_"I'm guessing you didn't do this earlier because my hands were otherwise occupied. So, in reply to your greeting, the pleasure's mine."_

_Kaidan shook it warmly._ _Shepard then moved back to collect her backpack._

_Presently, she said, "Look, you've been in the Alliance a long time. Thirteen years, if I recall correctly. No doubt you've heard of me, and have some kind of opinion of me."_

_"I generally form my opinions on my own, hearsay and gossip are hardly the right ways to shape your views."_

_"An admirable approach to life. I've read your profile. It indicates that you're a model soldier. That means you're professional and don't allow your personal views or opinions to cloud your judgement. That's a good thing on the battlefield, but here, you don't need to be that uptight."_

_Kaidan nodded. "I meant what I said, Commander."_

_Then, he thought for a bit, and went on. "You don't seem to really respect the Alliance much."_

_"I don't. I'm indifferent to the higher purpose most marines believe it represents. To me, it's a steady stream of income, and an opportunity for combat every other week. Beyond that, I don't particularly like this life any more than the one I had before."_

_"But, according to your records, you're a spacer kid, mother's quite high up in the Alliance; Dad was also part of it."_

_Shepard considered the Lieutenant for a while, as if weighing him up. Kaidan felt goosebumps. Her eyes seemed to look right through you, almost like an x-ray machine that didn't miss anything out._

_"You know, I expected you to smell a rat. You were on one of those ships I was recorded to have lived on. I would have guessed you would have caught on."_

_"Yes, actually. Here, though, my intent was just to fish for information if there was any to be had."_

_Shepard fished her pack of cigarettes out, and offered it to Kaidan. When he declined, she took one out and lit it. Kaidan was struck by the thought that she seemed to smoke a lot. She took a drag from it and exhaled slowly._

_She said, "Yes, well, that is a long and complicated story, one not many people know. I might tell you one day, but that'll come a long way down the line. Suffice to say, you won't find anything even if you pry further."_

_"I didn't expect to find anything anyway. Everything related to you seems classified."_

_"To a career military man like you, I guess it must be frustrating. An uncontrolled freak like me, who doesn't follow the rules, doesn't have a discipline record to speak of and has been in the military a much shorter time, manages to get promoted high enough that she's ranked higher than you."_

_"Rank is based on the qualities and talent of the individual, and their track record. The length of service is not the overriding factor. I can safely admit that I can't touch you when it comes to combat. Some of your exploits make my head dizzy, just thinking of them. Moreover, better men than me decided to promote you. I have to agree with their judgement."_

_Elia laughed. "Model soldier all right."_

_Three other men appeared at the other end of the landing pad, spotted them, and made their way to where Kaidan and Shepard were standing. All of them were well-built, reasonably tall._

_They saluted and introduced themselves._

_"Corporal Jenkins, reporting for duty", said the one on the right, a sandy haired American._

_"Private Bradwell", said the one in the middle, an African-American, thought Kaidan, from his accent._

_"Corporal Goldstein", said the one on the left, sounded British._

_Kaidan saluted back. "Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko."_

_Shepard spoked. "Hey, Bradwell, you were asked to bring a package."_

_"Ah yes." Bradwell fished into his backpack and took out a white package. He threw it over to Shepard when she motioned him to._

_Shepard put her cigarette in her mouth and tore open the package to reveal a large can of beer. She opened it, took the cigarette out of her mouth, and took a long swig._

_"You do good work, Private. It's beer you only get in micro-brewery here, and it's almost the perfect temperature too."_

_She happily took another long swig. She then took a drag of her already-lit cigarette, before stating, "Oh yes, I'm Elia Shepard."_

_"Yes, ma'am, I believe you knew my brother", said Goldstein._

_"Possibly... Goldstein hmm, was his name Reece?", asked Shepard, scrunching up her face to remember._

_"Yes, ma'am."_

_"Yes, I knew Private Reece Goldstein. Died in Torfan. Too bad he was on Kyle's squad. Slavers massacred most of that team. The good Major, no respect to him, was a fucking dumbass."_

_"Is that all you can say, ma'am?", asked Goldstein. Kaidan could hear the emotion in the man's voice. Things could start getting ugly._

_Shepard took another swig of her beer and a long drag from her cigarette, before replying, "Pretty much. He got FUBAR-ed. Nothing I could do about it."_

_Kaidan was slightly surprised at Shepard's bluntness. He definitely didn't like how this encounter was going, though. He could sense Goldstein getting agitated. He maintained his silence, however, deciding to observe how the Commander handled it._

_"But, you had a squad of 9, you could have gone and helped, saved at least a few."_

_"And let the slavers keep their prisoners? I don't think so. The mission stood, I make no apologies for my call. If anything, my CO was at fault, and even he can be forgiven for how things went down."_

_"Then, you lined up the prisoners and murdered them in cold blood. They should have been captured. You should have been court-martialed for that."_

_"Yeah, I did. And I make no apologies for that either. They gassed an entire container of prisoners. Blood for blood. And I don't give a rat's ass if anyone else thinks it was wrong, so a court-martial wouldn't have changed a damn thing."_

_Goldstein couldn't hold in his emotion any longer._

_"You're a monster", he screamed._

_Shepard just took a final drag from her cigarette and stubbed it calmly._

_"You know, I've been called that before. Any new insight slash opinion you want to share, Goldstein? I don't really care what you think, because you weren't there. What do you intend to do about it? Do you wanna brawl, get it out of your system?"_

_Kaidan spoke up finally, "With all due respect, Commander, brawling will not solve a thing."_

_Shepard shrugged and said, "Oh, won't it? Anyway, our Corporal here probably wouldn't want to try. Monsters tend to be difficult to beat, and he seems like one of those pansies who sits on his armchair blowing red sand and thinking he knows military strategy."_

_"Why, you little bitch!", said Goldstein, dropping his bag and throwing a punch at Shepard._

_Shepard just dodged it without hesitation and brought her right leg up in a blinding kick that she placed expertly on his stomach. Goldstein flew about two metres and landed on his back on the concrete floor of the landing pad. The three others looked dumbfounded at the scene that was unfolding. Shepard nonchalantly took another swig of her beer._

_Goldstein roared and threw a blast of his biotics at her. Shepard nonchalantly put a barrier up on her free hand and deflected it with no small amount of ease._

_"Now, that's cheating, Corporal. I guess I couldn't have expected better from a worm like you though."_

_She calmly took another swig of her beer. Goldstein gave another yell of rage and rushed at Shepard, a Talon knife in hand. Shepard waited for him to get close enough, dodged him completely by veering to the right and in the same fluid motion, twisted her body and brought her right foot from the side in a graceful arc to connect with his side._

_Goldstein went flying almost five metres from the power of the kick. He groaned in pain. Kaidan suspected that he'd broken some bones._

_Shepard gracefully completed the arc and landed up facing away from her original position. She turned back, and took another swig of beer, before walking up to the unmoving form of Goldstein. Kaidan noticed that she hadn't spilt a drop of her drink._

_She commented, "A Talon now. He fights like a rabid dog, with no honour or control. He can do well as a grunt on a battlefield if there are no other options. Beyond that, his combat ability is nothing to write home about. Old man, my advice is to take him off the roster; even if he could aim his gun in the right direction, he's still a useless fuck." Thus, Shepard finished her damning denouncement and chugged down the rest of her beer._

_"Noted, Commander. Corporal Goldstein will be escorted to an Alliance Medical facility. After that, he will be disciplined and reassigned to ground duty on a remote colony somewhere in the middle of nowhere", said a gravelly voice, coming from somewhere to Kaidan's right._

_Kaidan looked to his right to find the source. About twenty metres away, he spotted the man himself. Captain David Anderson, in person. The man who commandeered the Normandy. He was surprised he hadn't noticed him come up. Even more surprised that Shepard had, despite being otherwise occupied. So, this was the sort of pretenatural ability that the N7s possessed!_

_He walked up to him, and saluted. "Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko reporting for duty, sir. It's an honour to be on your ship."_

_The other two men also walked up. "Corporal Roland Jenkins, sir."_

_"Private Jozy Bradwell, sir."_

_Anderson saluted back. "Captain David Anderson at your service, gentlemen. I'm your CO aboard the Normandy. It's a pleasure to meet you all."_

_He paused to look over at Shepard, seemingly unsure about something. "Er, in case my XO hasn't introduced herself, that woman there is Commander Elia Shepard."_

_"Yo, old man. I didn't forget this time", she cried out, somewhat indignantly. "Though, I didn't remember if I was supposed to be Commander now, so I left it out", she admitted after a pause._

_"It never hurts to make sure, Shepard. And yes, you are now Commander", said Anderson, in a conciliatory voice._

_"Yeah, yeah. Waste of energy and all that, but whatever."_

_She thought for a moment. "You restocked the shuttle, right? The last time, there was a paltry half crate on-board. And three others on the shuttle to share it with. How's a girl supposed to occupy a fucking boring ten hours of her life on less than ten cans of beer."_

_"Ha, I remember the last time well, Shepard. I had nightmares because of your whining. This time, I made sure there were half a dozen bottles of rum in the shuttle. Some beer too. I hope that'll be enough."_

_"Fuckin' A, Cap. I'll even ignore the beer today. Well, apart from this can and the other one Bradwell's carrying."_

_Anderson permitted himself a fatherly smile. "I thought you'd be pleased."_

_"How about this goofball? We leave him here, or do we need to call someone to pick 'im up or something?"_

_"Already taken care of, Commander. I called an ambulance soon as he assaulted you. They'll take care of him."_

_"Capital, old man. Now, what the fuck are we doing standing around here for?"_

_"Yes, Commander."_

_Anderson turned around to address everyone. "Men, let's proceed to the shuttle."_

_Kaidan picked up his bag and made his way to Anderson's side._

_Shepard crushed her beer can, and called out, "Yo Bradwell. Where's the other package?"_

_Bradwell took out another white package and threw it over to Shepard. "Here, ma'am."_

_"Good goin', my dear sir."_

_Shepard tore open the package and produced another large can of beer. She opened it and took a long gulp. A look of pure ecstasy filled her face._

_"Fucking hell, Bradwell. I think I'll let you be my beer carrier from now on."_

_Bradwell wasn't sure whether to consider this a compliment or an insult. Anderson helped him resolve the situation, by calling out, "It's a compliment, son. Just accept it."_

_"Er, okay. Thank you, ma'am", said Bradwell, smiling slightly._

_Shepard picked up her bag and ran over to catch up with the rest._

_Anderson looked over at Kaidan to his right, and asked him, "I'm guessing you were taken aback by my XO's antics?"_

_Kaidan nodded, and said, "I'd be lying if I didn't say I was surprised, sir."_

_Anderson chuckled. "Yes, she's an interesting one. As capricious as she seems, she'll do great things. Even greater than what she's already done. She's marked, that one."_

_"A lot of people fear her more than anything else, sir."_

_"And they're right to do that. From the outside looking in, any person with half a brain would realize how dangerous she is. When you start working with her, that's when you realize that you could probably never hope to reach her. It's almost unfair that the fates saw fit to put all that ability into one being. But, if you're smart, you'll just keep on her side, leave the difficult stuff to her, implicitly trust her judgement, and watch as she makes a mockery of the word 'impossible'. In any case, I get the feeling you'll see soon enough for yourself."_

_"I was wondering. Where'd she learn to fight like that? She didn't even use her hands. On top of that, she didn't even spill a drop of her drink. That's just insane. Being confident enough to showboat in that sort of situation."_

_Anderson laughed heartily. "You'll have to ask her that yourself, son."_

_He then grew serious. "Though I need to be more careful the next time- she has a lot of people with grudges against her, and not just about Torfan."_

_"Yeah, I guess. She needs to be careful."_

_Anderson glanced at Alenko, surprised. "Oh, I'm not worried about my dear XO. She can take care of herself. More than well enough, I may add. I'm worried about the men she sends to the hospital. Each one of them deserved it; attacking her for what happened in a mission they weren't a part of it, out of some misguided sense of retribution or jealousy or whatever. I don't know, and I frankly don't care. That sort of thing just isn't acceptable. Let me tell you this though, Lieutenant. That guy, Corporal Goldstein - he got really lucky. He'll be up and on his feet within a week. There was one marine who decided to try and mete out his own justice to my XO, and ended up bedridden for half a year. And he can't ever get back onto the field again."_

_Kaidan considered this piece of information in silence. Suddenly, somebody jumped on top of him._

_"So, the old man been boring you with stories about me?", asked Elia, playfully._

_Anderson smiled. "Just giving him the usual disclaimers and warnings, Commander."_

_"Yeah? Did you mention the part about how everyone needs to have a light on them in combat if they're with me?"_

_"Now, now, Commander, your team is meant to actually help you on your mission."_

_"They're being useful by giving me booze and lights when I need it. Lets me finish the mission faster so we can all go home early. Damn, how can you people even think on the battlefield without stimulation?"_

_"Not everyone enjoys being piss-drunk in the middle of a battle, Commander. It tends to play with their co-ordination."_

_"It doesn't happen to me."_

_"Yes, Commander, I was referring to ordinary, sane mortals, with the minimum threshold of common sense."_

_"Are you questioning my sanity, old man?"_

_"Oh, I'd say that you're pretty insane if you didn't already do that on your own."_

_"That's a fucking loop, Anderson. That doesn't count."_

_Anderson just smiled. Kaidan watched the banter between XO and CO going back-and-forth, and wondered, "Just what the hell am I getting into?"_

_Elia seemed to remember something suddenly. "Oh, did you manage to get Eli re-assigned to our ship?"_

_She seemed almost hopeful. Kaidan wondered who this 'Eli' was._

_Anderson nodded. "Yes, I did mean to tell you earlier. I've managed to get Lieutenant Elisira assigned to our crew aboard the Normandy indefinitely. Rear-Admiral Hackett thought it would be good for her to work with us to advance her N7 training, so there was token resistance to the request."_

_Elia gave a whoop of happiness. "Brilliant work, Cap. And if little sis needs to go through N7 training, it means she earned her N6 badge, right?"_

_Anderson nodded, smiling. "Yes, she did. She was overseen by Commander Jordana Riley. Her report stated that she was especially impressed by Elisira's calm under pressure, her considerable aptitude for tech and split-second decision-making skill in combat, and recommended for her to begin the next step at the earliest."_

_"That sounds like little sis! She's so cool! And now, she has you to train her through the to the N7 commendation."_

_"Actually, I won't be the one to lead her N7 training...that honor falls to you, XO."  
_

_Elia's face fell, almost comically. "What the actual hell? You must be joking! Old man, did you lose your marbles somewhere? I can help you find them, if so. You can start by assigning my precious little sister to your command instead of me. Even I know that I'm not a good lead to follow."_

_Anderson laughed. "Ah, Elia. I've never seen you this worked up. Setting that aside, Hackett specifically asked for you to be her mentor on this final stretch. And quite frankly, I agree. You're the best bloody N7 combatant we have in the Alliance, no competition. Skipping to the N4 level right at the start? Unheard of. The biggest base promotion that anyone's ever had before that is to N2. And let's face it, you're a horrible follower, but a brilliant leader. You can get people to follow you despite themselves, and you've never lost a single person who was under your command. Apart from the fact that she's your little sister, previous experience has shown us that you two work very well together."_

_Elia's brow furrowed in consternation. "But we've hardly worked together in combat situations."_

_"That's just deflecting, and you know it. Remember the Skylian Blitz. The mission that got Elisira her N5 commendation. That hold was an impossible task. But you did it. Together. And your sister, she's special. If you weren't around, she'd be the biggest deal in our military."_

_He gave Elia a meaningful look._

_Kaidan was surprised. So, Elisira and Elia Shepard were in actual fact, sisters. He'd never thought to make the connection earlier, just attributing it to a last name that happened to be the same. Also, he hadn't ever heard any stories mentioning Elia Shepard's name in connection to the Skylian Blitz. Elisira Shepard, yes. She had made her name in the Alliance with her heroic deeds that time on Elysium after all, and had even been awarded the Star of Terra for it. If the older (more illustrious) sister had been involved as well, it definitely wasn't a well-known fact._

_Elia looked unsure._

_"I...like having little sis look up to me. It feels nice. I know it seems selfish, but I really don't want that ever to change. And I'm scared that it might, when she sees how I deal with things."_

_"I can't think of any reason it would. That girl is probably your biggest fan in the galaxy. She's almost as difficult to command as you. If anything, I think her admiration for you can only grow. Having her around will force you to be a better version of yourself. In my book, that's a win-win. You two are definitely going to change the galaxy in ways we can't predict."_

_Seeing Elia look even more uncomfortable, Anderson grasped her shoulder in support. "You've got this, child. Seriously. Just stop worrying. It doesn't become you. And this isn't the kind of face you want to present when you meet her, right?"_

_"I...No. I'll just do what I've always done. Protect her, and every one of my squad with my life. My people."_

_"That's the spirit! Nobody expects any more than that."_

_Kaidan fancied that he could see a fatherly smile playing on Anderson's face._

_Elia nodded, apparently resolved. She was a lot quieter for the rest of the walk to the shuttle, seemingly deep in thought._

_-0-_

_They were an hour into the ride on their corvette. Shepard had almost finished one of the bottles of dark rum. To Kaidan's amazement, she drank it neat from the bottle. All the women he'd ever known couldn't handle that much hard liquor that easily. She barely even seemed buzzed! Anderson had helped himself to some wine as well. The other three on the shuttle had helped themselves to some of the generous supply of premium Canadian beer._

_Shepard lay on one of the benches in the shuttle, reading something on her data-pad, occasionally swigging her rum. Anderson had donned his glasses and was sitting at the only table on the shuttle, typing something on his private terminal. A mobile office. Kaidan, Roland and Jozy were enjoying some rounds of Skylian Five. Kaidan was doing okay, having won himself slightly over a hundred credits._

_Suddenly, one of their pilots (there were two, owing to the length of the journey) called out from the cockpit, just as they were passing over Terra Nova, en route to the mass relay. "Captain Anderson, we've received an SOS from the Alliance Engineering facility on Terra Nova. They're under attack by merc forces, identified as probably being part of the Blue Suns group. About two dozen strong, by their count. Defences are holding, but the guards are dead and the engineers don't have any appreciable combat skill. Are we able to respond?"_

_Anderson nodded, and quickly turned to Shepard, who was looking at him. "Well, Shepard, up for some action?"_

_Shepard gave him a lopsided smirk, put her data-pad down with a flourish and said, "Hell yeah, old man, let me at them."_

_Anderson called, "Okay, Robert, we're helping them. Take us in."_

_"Understood, sir. ETA is about fifteen minutes."_

_Ten minutes later, Anderson commented, "You better get ready, child."_

_Shepard sighed, took a final swig from her bottle of rum, and threw the bottle into the trash compactor. She stood up, took off her hoodie, revealing a black tank top underneath. She went over to the armory and wore her chest piece over it. She then slipped off her tracks and put on her leg pieces. She put on her arm and shoulder guards, before finally taking a headpiece that resembled night vision goggles from old movies made back on Earth, and slipped it on. She took a look at her omni tool, and raised her shields. She then picked out her weapons - a Mantis sniper, a Tempest SMG, and a Scimitar Assault Shotgun. She also produced a short-sword, checked it over, and sheathed it. She opened the cooler nearby, and grabbed two beer cans and slipped them into a compartment right below her guns. It seemed custom-made. The N7 insignia shone in the middle of her chestpiece. She fished a cigarette and a lighter out from somewhere about her person and lit it, taking a deep puff, and exhaling the smoke slowly. Kaidan snapped out of his reverie. "Er, aren't you taking anyone along?"_

_Shepard looked at him, somewhat confused. "Why? Do you think I need to?"_

_"There are two dozen trained mercenaries out there. Maybe more."_

_"So?"_

_"You're going alone?"_

_"Yes."_

_Shepard seemed mildly surprised at this line of questioning. Kaidan was at a loss for words. Anderson appeared not to have noticed this exchange._

_She checked over her ammo, before opening the doors of the corvette and jumping out._

_Kaidan asked Anderson worriedly, "Sir, shouldn't someone go with her?"_

_Anderson looked up._

_"You wanna go, son?", he enquired, evenly._

_"Er, isn't it required?"_

_"Not particularly, in my opinion. But, you're free to suit up and go if you want. Just don't get yourself killed."_

_"She went alone."_

_"And she took along her cigarettes and beer, right?"_

_"Umm, yes."_

_"Odds-on, she'll be fine."_

_Kaidan was amazed at Anderson's nonchalance. "But, sir…"_

_"Look, Lieutenant, go along if you want. Maybe you'll see why I'm not worried."_

_Kaidan quickly suited up, grabbed a Carnifex heavy pistol and a Vindicator battle rifle, before exiting the corvette._

_Anderson paused momentarily, muttering under his breath, "She strikes again…that woman is too magnetic for her own good. Hope this one doesn't get too badly hurt", before returning to his work._

_Kaidan kept his Vindicator at the ready, and made his way quickly across a field, and into the courtyard of the facility. On the way, he heard the distinct sound of gunshots. He spotted the loading bay open, and went in. The sight he saw was pure unadulterated carnage. Atleast twenty dead bodies lay around different parts of the large well-lit room, all of them wearing the blue armor that marked them as belonging to the Blue Suns._

_He spotted Elia walking up to a merc - a turian, and just blasting his face with her Scimitar. She had a lit cigarette in her mouth that she now took out with her free hand, exhaling slowly. He walked up to her._

_"Not many left, just the leader and three henchmen", she commented. She'd obviously noticed him even in the midst of all the destruction she'd wrought._

_Kaidan nodded. She put her cigarette back in her mouth and took out one of the beer cans._

_She held it to him and said, "Open this, will ya?"._

_Kaidan complied and handed it back to her._

_She put the shotgun on a nearby table and took a long swig from the beer can. She finished her cigarette, stubbed it out and threw the butt away before re-arming her shotgun. The beer can was still in her other hand._

_She smirked at him and said, "Come on, maybe you can take a few down."_

_She continued swigging her beer as they made their way to one of the doors at the end of the loading bay. How she managed to do that while still running was beyond Kaidan. She threw the can away as they approached the door, and stood to its side._

_"Three guys in there, trying to get past that security door. They have no fucking clue how to hack it", she said, gleefully._

_She kept her shotgun away to take out her short-sword. She smiled at Kaidan, a manic smile, one you'd expect from someone on the edge of sanity. It shook Kaidan a little. Then, she disappeared from view._

_"Optical camouflage", thought Kaidan. He heard the door being kicked down. Then, silence. He was unsure what his role was._

_About ten seconds later, he peeped in with his gun ready, and saw all three mercs dead, and Shepard wiping the blood off and sheathing her sword._

_"You took all of them out with the sword?", he asked, astonished._

_Shepard didn't answer. She took off her visor and shook her head like a dog shaking water off its fur, and droplets of sweat rained on the ground. She stood back up and pushed her hair back to put her visor on._

_"Pretty good workout, hmm. Hope I find extra panties, though. The ones I have on are drenched", she commented._

_She walked closed to Kaidan, and whispered mischievously in his ear. "Not all of it is perspiration, too. Nothing beats a good fight to get you off, ehh."_

_Kaidan smelled her perfume in that moment, a heady mixture of sweat, flowers, alcohol, traces of smoke and burning metal. She walked past without looking at his reaction, which was one of heavy discomfiture, as he considered the implications of her whispered comment. He walked out and saw her across the room, in front of another door. He rushed over, just as she kicked it down. Kaidan went in with her, to a security-office like area. They saw a turian, a human and a batarian._

_"All right, you're all... wait a fucking minute, Grizz? That you?"_

_The turian started, "El? The fuck are you doing here?"_

_"I could ask you the same thing, you jackhole", said Shepard as she walked up to him. The turian started walking to her as well. Kaidan put his gun up, ready to shoot just in case._

_It was needless however, as Elia seemed to be friends with this 'Grizz'. They shook hands, and then Shepard reached over and slapped him on his face. Hard._

_Grizz remarked, " I guess I deserved that."_

_"Damn right you did. Blue Suns, Grizz? Didn't the time on the Kaitlyn teach you anything?"_

_"I didn't do it because I wanted to, El. The security company I was working in after we disbanded went under, and I needed to eat."_

_"So you fucking joined this scum?", said Shepard, waving at the other 2 mercs in the room._

_Grizz hung his head. "Like I said, El. I did not have any good options."_

_The batarian tried to speak, "Excuse me…I'd suggest you lay down your weapons so we can settle this..."_

_"Oh! Shut up", said Grizz and Elia at the same time, as they cut the batarian off by gunning both him and his companion down. Grizz took out the human with his rifle, and Elia took out the batarian with her pistol._

_Elia holstered her weapon, walked over to lean on the table, and lit up a cigarette. She took off her goggles and placed them down._

_"Geez, Grizz. If you needed help, you should have sent out a feeler or something."_

_Grizz walked up to stand near her, his weapon holstered as well._

_"I have my pride, El. Besides, I didn't know where the fuck anyone in the group went. Lani went with me, but she found work as an information broker. I was just causing her trouble, so I left. To be honest, you're the first familiar face I've seen in years."_

_Elia took a long drag on her cigarette and exhaled the smoke._

_"Yeah, I guess I can't blame you completely. Shit happens in life. It is your lucky day though, since I may have a good proposition for you. How'd you feel about joining up with Aria T'Loak on Omega?"_

_"The asari queen of the underworld? She has more honour than any of this merc band scum, and Aleena spoke highly of her. It'd be way better than this shit. Not that I can go back now anyway. Is she hiring?"_

_"Yeah, she had to do some house-cleaning about 3 months back, I was on shore leave meeting up with Aleena and we got dragged in to help her out. She needs to bolster her ranks and I'm pretty sure you'd be a good addition. I'll put in a good word if you're interested."_

_"Yeah? Hmm, that sounds really good, El. Much better than any of the shit I've been doing recently. I think I'll go there and see what I can find."_

_"I'll inform her to expect you, then... Oh, and do you need any money? You know...so you can get there and get set up? And before you get any ideas, this ain't a handout. You gotta pay it back, with interest!"_

_Grizz laughed and lightly punched Elia's shoulder. "Nah, I got enough cash. Just hope this thing works out, though."_

_"It's a better choice than anything else out there for us, man."_

_"Oh, and how about you? You seem to be doing okay, leading the military life."_

_Elia shrugged. "It's okay most days. Lots of fighting, decent amount of travelling, and cheap booze. Decent pay, but that's not really a big deal in my case. Plus, mum and little sis are back in my life. I don't much care for the life, though, truth be told. The day I get bored and have a good alternative, I'm getting out. It ain't as close as the Kaitlyn, you know."_

_"Yeah, there's something different about what we used to do. Well, too bad it didn't last forever, ehh?"_

_"Yeah, definitely."_

_"Umm, I don't know whether I should bring this up, but I heard some stories. You know, about you being the 'Butcher of Torfan'. You're a legend in most parts of councile space, but I was kinda worried, you know. So I was wondering, was it really you who did that?"_

_Elia took a long drag on her cigarette before answering, "Yeah, Grizz, it was. But it wasn't me at the same time. I've... changed."_

_"Was there a reason, you know? You were always a madcap, but a lot gentler before, El. Murdering people in cold blood doesn't sound like you at all."_

_Elia paused, then said in a low voice. "Not when they killed Jake and Martin. It was the same group, I got their fucking leader."_

_Grizz swore. "Then, I'm not worried. I hope you made him suffer."_

_Elia nodded grimly. "A world of pain and then some."_

_Grizz made an expression that passed for a smile on a turian._

_Elia seemed to think of something. "Say, you got a working ship, right? That you can go to Omega on?"_

_"Yeah, no worries about that. We came in a rented corvette. I'll go to Omega in that and return it there."_

_"But, won't the Suns come after you?"_

_"Nah, I'll make it quiet. Wipe myself from the records, you know."_

_"Yeah, should be easy enough."_

_Elia finished her smoke and stubbed the cigarette. She held out a hand to Grizz, and he shook it warmly._

_"Well, Grizz, you know the drill. Lay low for a while, wait for a bit, then get your bony ass out. I'll tell the Cap what happened, and nobody'll fire on you."_

_"Thanks a lot, El. Hey, next time we meet, drinks are on me. Though, knowing you, it'll probably leave a bleeding big hole in my wallet."_

_Elia laughed. "I'll hold you to that, Grizz. See ya around."_

_Elia walked out of the office, Kaidan following in her wake. She took out her second beer can, opened it and took a long swig. She offered it to him._

_When he declined, she shrugged and told him, "Could you set up a comm channel to the old man. The facility's safe. I'll tell him about Grizz."_

_Kaidan nodded and obliged. As soon as he got a clear connection, he reported in._

_"Sir, the_ _f_ _acility is secure. 25 hostiles terminated, 24 by Commander Shepard, and one by a turian named Grizz. She would like to speak with you as well."_

_Shepard patched into the channel. "Yo, old man. Met an old friend of mine. Goes by Grizz. He was with the Blue Suns, but he's a good guy. Told him to go to Omega to start out fresh. He said he'd leave in the corvette the mercs rented. Tell everyone to hold their fire, he's all right."_

_"Understood, Shepard. Think you can tell me the story later?", said Anderson, at the other end._

_"Thanks a lot...and yeah, I will."_

_"We'll wait for you at the LZ. Anderson out."_

_They reached the courtyard; the corvette was about half a kilometer away. Shepard took a final gulp from her beer can, crushed it and threw it away._

_"Well, we aren't doing anyone any favors by wasting time, Alenko. Race you to the corvette? Last one in gets to file the report." Shepard smirked._

_Alenko took a running stance. "Bring it on. I used to be the 400m champion at college. I'm pretty sure I could take you."_

_Elia raised her eyebrow. "Oh, this distance would seem right up your street then. But, I did most of the work in there, and I'm down a tank load of booze and a butt load of cigarettes. I carry more guns too, and my armour is heavier. It'd be embarrassing for you to lose. Sure you wanna take the risk?"_

_"Yeah, like I said, bring it on."_

_"Okay, you asked for it. On the count of three."_

_Kaidan nodded._

_Shepard said, "Okay. One, two,… THREE!"_

_And so, the two set off. Kaidan was quick, but Shepard easily kept up with him. It was a reasonably close-run contest until the last hundred meters, when the difference in physical ability began to show. Kaidan upped his pace as much as he was able, but Shepard just seemed to go into a totally different higher gear. She reached the entrance to the corvette about twenty meters ahead of him, and waited for him to run up. Kaidan was openly panting from his exertions, but Shepard just seemed like she was breathing a slight bit heavier._

_"Well, what do ya know, Alenko. Looks like you get to write the report. Hmm yeah, so about the 20 you saw dead in the loading area, two died from short-sword stabs, two had their throats sliced, five were sniped, three were blasted with a shotgun, the pistol took care of two, three were incinerated and three were warped and thrown. Got all that?"_

_Kaidan nodded weakly. Between gasps, he managed to tell her, "Will ask you for details if I forget."_

_"Fuckin' A, Alenko", said Elia, before kneeling down to face him._ _"For what it's worth, you are pretty fucking quick."_

_She patted him on his shoulder and made her way inside, her visor in hand, and took off her chest piece, and arm and shoulder guards to reveal her tank top, clinging to her upper body, accentuating her rather fine figure, wet from all the perspiration caused by her exertions. She shook her head like a dog again, droplets of sweat flying all around. Strands of her hair stuck together as she pushed it back. She took out a towel from the locker, and covered below her waist. She then took off the leg pieces of her N7 armor and put all of it away in her locker. She seemed to glow in the light. As she entered the ladies' bathroom, Kaidan had the distinct impression that she had put on a show for him just to play with his mind._

_Later, Kaidan stood in the shower, the water at a comfortable temperature, thinking about the enigmatic woman who was the Normandy's XO. He didn't know what to make of her. Kaidan generally thought he could read people well - he felt like he could gauge their motivations, why they took certain actions, why they were on the path they were following. For him, being a soldier, being a marine in the Alliance navy had always been a way to protect those weaker than him, and to help further the interests of humanity. For his CO, Captain Anderson, he could tell that he was in it for the opportunity to make a difference, to guide the next generation of soldiers at a time where their roles were rapidly changing, as humanity integrated itself more and more into the fabric of the Milky Way galactic community. From the Corporal and the Private whom he'd been playing poker with, he got the impression that they were there to prove themselves, to gain fame, to rise up the ranks._

_From Elia Shepard, Kaidan could get nothing. She just seemed like a force of nature, creating chaos just because she could._ _To her, combat seemed like a means of expressing herself; it seemed like she lived for it. He had felt hints of something darker when he'd been beside her during the last mission. Vibes he couldn't explain. An insatiable bloodlust, maybe? Whether he liked it or not, Kaidan was drawn to the crazy woman._

-0-

Kaidan's mind then flitted to the time he had been on Shepard's squad to stop Saren and Sovereign. He hadn't been used much on ground missions, mostly because he wasn't as talented as the rest of her squad of...freaks was the word he'd use for it. A krogan battlemaster, a turian sharpshooter, a quarian engineer, an asari scientist, and a little sister who was way ahead of the typical Alliance marine curve.

He had been infatuated with her, maybe loved her even, but she made it clear that she harboured no such feelings for him. Kaidan could not understand it. He had been stumped at her outright rejection of his overtures. He wasn't proud of what he did in reaction to that-he had been a fool, a sore loser. The way she went about resolving her missions also did not sit well with him. He called her out on it multiple times, but she never gave him a justification for her actions. It irked him even more, and made him a whole lot less rational.

Matters had come to a head at Agebinium, when he probably went too far doing what he thought was right, preventing Elia from executing Elanos Haliat, and almost causing her to shoot her friend, Garrus, in the process. Her sister had dispatched the mastermind behind the Skylian Blitz, but Elia had been furious.

After they got on the Normandy, Shepard challenged him to a fight to sort out their differences. She'd even let him use his biotics if he wanted, and claimed she could beat him without using hers. Kaidan had laughed-Shepard may have been good, but she can't have been that good. Early on, he had tried to avoid his biotics. Shepard soundly thrashed him, getting in several hits, without taking a single punch herself. Then, he'd lost it, throwing a biotic blast at his Commander. She dodged it with ease. Then, he just kept throwing bolts of blue at her until he could summon up no more. Shepard just dodged every one of his shots, and even deflected a few with her bare hands (he'd wondered how she'd done that- later, he'd found out that an Asari Huntress had trained her biotics, so it made some kind of sense). When he was completely spent, he stood panting, his legs barely holding as she came up to him.

She told him, "Kaidan, you're a good soldier, but your skills and thought processes beyond that are painfully limited. Since I do not run this ship military, I don't have to follow any rules but my own. I have the luxury of resolving situations however the fuck I want. If you don't like how it goes, then tough shit. I'll listen to your concerns if I believe they have value, but the final decisions lie with me. I was a bad soldier, and splitting up from the Alliance amicably was something I'd wanted for a while. It was always a precarious position to be in, and Anderson has taken a lot of heat for me over the years. He seemed to think well of you and wanted you to gain more experience in an inter-species crew. That is the sole reason you remain on this assignment. I owe him that much. But, the next time you mouth off, I'm seriously going to hand you over to the old man and let him deal with it." Then, she knocked him out with one strong punch.

Another memory came to mind, involving Garrus Vakarian. Kaidan and Garrus had gotten along okay during their time on the Normandy, though he found Garrus' ideals a tad extreme.

Justice at any cost, blood for blood. It seemed to Kaidan like he was flirting dangerously with vigilante-ism. There had been that business with Dr. Heart. Or was it Dr. Saleon? Kaidan had been present when they'd raided his starship. They fought their way through husks and crazed assistants before coming upon the salarian doctor himself.

_-0—Flashback 2—0-_

_The doctor seemed relieved that a group had made it through to him. Maybe, he was hoping he would be rescued. Of course, that depended on Shepard and Garrus. Kaidan hoped they wouldn't kill him, but it wasn't his place to decide. Elisira seemed more interested in the tech he had lying around._

_Shepard kept her gun pointing at the doctor. Kaidan noticed that the doctor had a pistol in his hand._

_"Is this him, Garrus?"_

_Garrus nodded, keeping his own gun trained on the doctor._

_"I'd recognize him anywhere, it's definitely Saleon."_

_The doctor then seemed to realize that this wasn't a rescue. He yelped, "What do you mean, I'm not Saleon, my name is Heart. My assistants went crazy and turned on me. I barely made it to this room alive."_

_Garrus scoffed, and mockingly asked the doctor, "So, your experiments decided to turn on you, did they? What'd you do, graduate from hearts and livers to brains and nervous systems?"_

_The doctor looked at Garrus, and recognition dawned on him. He lifted his finger up at Garrus._

_"You! You're that C-Sec detective. The one who tried to kill me."_

_He turned to Shepard and told her, "This is a deranged lunatic who's convinced that I was involved in organ trafficking. Please, you can't believe him. I am just a simple doctor."_

_Shepard spoke, her voice low and menacing._ _"What did you just say, you fucking amphibious wretch? You use people for parts they need to live, and then have the gall to insult one of the finest former detectives at C-Sec? He's part of a Spectre squad, and you... you're just a filthy organ-mongering piece of shit!"_

_Kaidan looked over at Shepard. She was extremely angry. Not something he'd want to go up against, from personal experience. Elisira looked on, mildly interested in the scene playing out._

_She spoke to Garrus. "Garrus, I had originally intended to let you take the kill for yourself when we found this asshole. Well, we did find him, and we are going to serve justice to him at muzzle velocity. But I'd like to request you to let me share the responsibility."_

_Garrus chuckled. "With pleasure, Shepard. On the count of three."_

_"My god! You're both crazy", said Saleon, picking up his pistol._

_"THREE!" said Garrus, as both Shepard and Garrus discharged their weapons. Saleon fell down, dead._

_Both of them holstered their pistols. Shepard put her hand on Garrus' shoulder. "Do you feel satisfied?"_

_"Hell, Shepard, it's like a load off my mind. Just knowing a bastard like him ran scot free because of rules and procedure, it made my blood boil so much. This felt like justice, for once. It's not often that I'm able to experience this sort of thing, so thank you. Thank you for humoring me."_

_"No thanks necessary, Vakarian. You're part of my squad. More importantly, you're my friend. But remember this feeling, and savor it...I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but I'll do it anyway. Do not start killing every criminal on the street. There are crimes that deserve death like this one. Most are fucked up morons who think they're better than people and hence, have some sort of right to use those they consider beneath them. But, not all of them do. Never forget that."_

_Garrus turned to face Shepard. "Of course, Elia."_

_Shepard smirked. "So, you finally used my first name."_

_Garrus looked surprised. "Ohhh...I'm sorry"_

_Shepard slapped him on the back. "I was the one who asked you to use before, as I remember it. It's totally fine."_

_Elia nodded to Elisira, and the little sister led them out of the room. Garrus followed in Elia's wake. Kaidan stared at Saleon's dead body for a while. They had just killed someone. Executed him in cold blood. It wasn't the first tiem this sort of thing had happened, but it felt just as wrong as the last. He put the thought aside, turned and followed Garrus out the ship._

_Later on, Kaidan found Shepard in the pantry. He fixed himself a cup of instant coffee and sat down. Shepard was reading something, occasionally taking a sip of her own cup. Kaidan closed his eyes, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Presently, Shepard set her cup and her datapad down. She fished out a packet of cigarettes and lit one up. She took a long drag._

_She noticed Kaidan sitting across her, and offered him a stick. He declined. She took another drag, and asked, "Aren't you going to comment on what happened with the doctor?", she asked, her tone somewhat curious._

_Kaidan thought, and replied carefully, "You know, I think I'm getting de-sensitized. Or more able to ignore it and move on, I suppose. Before I would have questioned your actions. Killing someone in cold blood, even if they deserve it – it just seems so wrong. Like you're playing god. I really do not know what I'm supposed to think. I don't know what to make of you at all. You're an enigma. And you're magnetic. You naturally draw people to you. But, you know, when I think about you, the overriding feeling I get is one of fear. As effective as you are at what you do, it always seems like you just want to maximize the trail of destruction you leave behind. Wherever you go, and without any real reason. I mean, that business back on Noveria – you screwed over that merchant to get your pass, and then you decide to help that Synthetic Insights guy at the bar, and clear out his office, just for kicks. And then, you play both sides for no apparent reason, and pretty much caused both the agent and the administrator to kill each other. Finally, you admit you went through all that, just because the administrator pissed you off. I mean, none of those people were good, but they weren't bad. Playing around with them just because you were bored or something, I just don't know. You're dark, you're chaotic, maybe even evil, but you're necessary. I still can't get a read on what you ultimate aim is, I mean – why do you do what you do? And you have something about you, like Anderson said. You're this ultimate leader. People follow you as a matter of course. Hell, even I follow you, and willingly. But thinking back, I wonder if I'd have done all this if it had been anyone else."_

_He paused, and thought for a bit. Eventually, he just shook his head in defeat. "I'll probably lose my sanity trying to explain what's been happening, trying to think of answers to these questions."_

_Shepard took a long drag on her cigarette and looked at Kaidan with something like sadness in her eyes._

_"You know, there was this existentialist philosopher, Jean Paul Sartre. He once said that people are like dice. You throw yourself in the direction of your own choosing. You're free because you can do that. Everyone's circumstances are different, but no matter how small the choice, you can throw yourself. Nothing is down to chance or fate, but the choices you make. Because of that, you carry the weight of your actions, because you made the choice. Trying to understand something as chaotic as life is an exercise in futility. We are all mistakes, you know. Our births...they're outliers in the grand scheme of things. The way we were formed, the probability that we're even here, it's one in an almost infinitely large ocean of possibilities. It's almost like a Stand Alone Complex. Like this universe is a copy of several others, but you don't know what the original looks like, so you can't be really sure that the original even exists. It's difficult to grasp. The sort of thing you contemplate when you're nice and high, I suppose."_

_Kaidan was utterly confused. "Er, so what's your point?"_

_Elia smiled indulgently. "My point is that many things are far from perfect; the universe is in a constant state of flux, and that makes trying to explain everything that happens around you, a fool's errand."_

_Kaidan gaped at her. "Huh?"_

_Elia laughed. "Ahh damn, you take yourself so damned seriously, trying your hardest to keep yourself in check all the time. Admirable in a way, but it also means that you won't be able to understand me. Sometimes, you just have to let it flow. In any case, you don't need to question your sanity. You're perfectly fine. It's difficult to be a reasonable man in a world that laughs at the notion."_

_She chuckled and waved him goodbye before leaving. "Like a wise man once said, 'Amen, Hallelujah and Peanut Butter'. Just don't take stuff so seriously, man."_

_Kaidan sat, his mind reeling. "What the fuck was our conversation about again?", he thought, trying his hardest to remember. He later found references to what Shepard had talked about in several Japanese (from when that mattered) media from the 21_ _st_ _century._

_-0-_

Kaidan's mind went back to that meeting on Horizon. He'd been surprised to see her, though he hadn't been sure about how pleasant the surprise was. He'd watched her take out a huge flying monstrosity which shot a laser out its mouth, with four other allies. As he walked over to talk to her, he noticed that two of the people accompanying her were Garrus (whom he hadn't seen in some time) and Elisira (whom he'd lost track of, and couldn't get any information about, ever since the N7 graduate had signed up for a voluntary discharge). The other two were a Krogan (not Wrex) and a Drell, both of whom he didn't know.

_-0—Flashback 3—0-_

_"Damn it, do something. They took Egan and Sam. And Lilith, too. They damn near took everybody", cried Delan, the mechanic, as he watched the huge Collector ship taking off. He came into view as Kaidan walked toward where the group was. He was distraught, pacing aimlessly on the field, throwing his arms around._

_"Uh-oh, here it comes", thought Kaidan. If it was Shepard, he knew she had precious little patience for idiots like Delan._

_He was right. Shepard shot back, "And what do you expect me to do, you bloody jackass? The ship's too big to take out; it's too fast to catch. You know, I don't know why I even bother with you useless retards; we put our lives on the line to stop them, and limited the damage – they took less than a third of the people here. Meanwhile, you hide in your fucking bunk like the coward you are, and presume to pass judgement on those who actually took action. Who tried to help. Gimme a fucking break."_

_She fished out a cigarette, gave one to her sister, and lit both up. Kaidan heard the click of the lighter._

_Soon, their group came into view. Kaidan continued walking up to them. They hadn't noticed him yet._

_Garrus put his hand on Shepard's shoulder, "Calm down, El. You did what you could. This idiot isn't worth it."_

_"Yeah, big sis. Seriously, this person isn't worth any time of your day."_

_The Krogan walked up to the man, and lifted him up by his collar. "Show Shepard respect. If it weren't for her, you'd be dead."_

_He put down the terrified mechanic and stalked back to take his place next to the Drell._

_The Drell then spoke up, "Those without sufficient knowledge of the situation should not presume to comment. It is the worst form of disrespect. In this case, it is an insult to boot."_

_He spoke without heat, but there was intensity behind his words._

_Delan looked scared. He sputtered out, "Who the hell are you people, anyway?"_

_Kaidan was close enough to the group to be heard. "Elia Albarn Shepard. Former Alliance. An N7 graduate. The Butcher of Torfan. First Human Spectre, incidentally the first from a non-council race too. The Savior of the Citadel and the Council." Kaidan came into view, and looked at Delan. "You're standing in the presence of a legend, possibly the greatest enigma of our age, Delan." Then, he turned to Elia, "And a ghost."_

_She looked just the way he remembered – beautiful, dangerous, and utterly beyond his comprehension. She seemed to have more scars now, though, and they seemed to glow in the light._

_Delan scrunched up his face in recognition. "Shepard? Sure, I remember now, some type of big Alliance hero in Council space."_

_Turning to Kaidan, he said, "All the good people lost, and you survive. Ah, screw this, I'm done with you Alliance types", and walked off in disgust._

_Elia commented, "You know, that's the one smart thing he did in this whole mind-numbingly boring ordeal."_

_Kaidan didn't know what she was referring to. Nothing new there._ _He walked up to her._

_"Shepard…", he said, and held out his hand._

_She accepted it in her free hand, and shook it firmly. "Commander Kaidan Alenko, is it? Been rising up the ranks in the Alliance, I believe. Ah well, you were always the type who would."_

_Kaidan felt himself get inordinately angry. "Two years, and all you can say is that. Two years of losing all hope – I would have followed you into hell itself; you were more than just the Normandy's commander… I attended your funeral, you know, though none of the others were there. Did they know something I didn't? And here I see you, alive and stronger than ever. Where the hell have you been?"_

_"Strapped to a medical table, close to death, more or less. I didn't actually die after the Normandy went down; some weird twist of fate allowed me to survive until I was recovered. I finally ended up in the hands of Cerberus, and they spent a hell of a lot to rebuild me, to bring me back. I don't know the specifics, and I'm not entirely sure I want to. I mean, I might get permanently scarred and lose my last shred of sanity, if I actually knew all the stuff Miranda put my poor body through." Elia shuddered at the thought. "Anyhow, it took about 2 years before I could wake up again and even then, I wasn't fully ready, I was kinda incomplete, and well, the reason I had to wake up in the first place was because someone was trying to kill me. Guess some things never change. A lot of stuff happened, and here I am, trying to stop the Collectors, who we know are working with the Reapers. Trying to continue the fight I started, pretty much."_

_She turned to her squad. "These guys are a part of my squad. You know Garrus and Elisira. He's Grunt", motioning towards the krogan,"and he's Thane", she finished, motioning towards the drell._

_She turned back to Kaidan. "Yeah, so that's what's been happening. Putting a squad together. Destroying enemies with big guns. What's up with you? Wanna grab a beer somewhere?"_

_She looked around. "Though, this doesn't seem like the kinda settlement with a bar around. How the fuck do these people survive?"_

_There she went again, side-stepping all the issues, treating the entire situation with her characteristic levity. Only this time, Kaidan wouldn't have any of it._

_"So, you're with Cerberus now?"_

_Elia sighed. "You pick out one statement like a fucking homing missile. All Alliance marines with any sort of ability are so predictable." She took a drag on her cigarette and exhaled before going on. "To answer your rather pointed question, yes, I am working with Cerberus. Partly to pay them back for well, rebuilding me, and mostly because The Illusive Man is the only one who isn't questioning what I've been saying all along, what I've been trying to warn this fucking galaxy about. The bloody council said that my mental state was 'fragile' because their investigations 'dismissed my claim' of the Reapers. When I continued to insist that they existed, they said there was no proof, since Vigil conveniently 'could not be found' and Sovereign is so obviously 'a creation of the geth'. Apparently, they think that a weakling like Saren Arterius is capable of such great feats of engineering and mind control. Maybe it's just because he was once the best they had to offer, and they're scared. Or something. I was the one who fucking convinced him to shoot himself in the head to redeem himself. I figured he deserved at least that. The whole situation is so god-damn pathetic – it's easier to pretend like everything is just going to be fine and ignore doomsday predictions from some madwoman. They wouldn't be caught dead admitting that I am right, or supporting my claims, just because it's bad for politicians to put their weight behind anything that sounds as negative as that. Of all the fucking bullshit."_

_"But, Cerberus, Shepard? They can't be trusted", insisted Kaidan._

_"Yeah, but face it, Kaidan, neither can the Council or the Alliance. Whatever Cerberus' motives, they, at the very least, acknowledge the existence of the threat, and are taking tangible action against it. Which is a helluva lot more than the damn Council or Alliance is doing. Or even the Turian Meritocracy or the Quarian Admiralty or every other blooming government or military of every other 'advanced' race in the galaxy. The only ones who are lifting a finger and doing something to prepare for it, are the krogan and they're crippled. Wrex is doing his best, but we can't win. We need more. How about you? Have you conveniently forgotten that the Reapers existed, Commander Alenko? Or do you choose to deny their existence just like the Council? Did you start blocking out the memories of Ilos as some sort of bad dream? I personally wouldn't be surprised if you did."_

_"That's not fair, Shepard", protested Kaidan._

_"Isn't it? You claim you'd follow me anywhere, yet you didn't try to find me despite hearing that I might be alive. Save your declarations for those who are affected by it, Commander. It's trite and boring."_

_Kaidan found himself getting more than a little angry himself, partly because Elia's accusations were kinda true, loath as he was to admit it. He decided to take a different tack. "Shepard, I can't trust Cerberus. How'd you know that they're not using the threat of the Reapers to control you? How'd you know that the Illusive Man is not working with the Collectors and the Reapers?"_

_Elia stared at him for a moment and broke out in loud peals of laughter. "Oh fuck! That's the best one I've heard in a while."_

_Kaidan appealed to Garrus. "And you too, Garrus? You're working with Cerberus too!?"_

_Garrus looked at Kaidan, his blue eyes icy in their contempt. "I'm working for Shepard, Kaidan. Don't think that you're better than her, or that you can pass judgment on her, just because you rose a little in the ranks of your military. And for your information, I don't give two hoots about who sponsors our adventures. I trust Elia, completely and utterly. If she told me to point a gun at my head and shoot myself, I would. Unlike you, I would actually follow her anywhere, and willingly at that. You have the gall to question the woman who saved the galaxy two years ago, just like those ungrateful wretches on the Council, who, rather unfortunately, happen to govern the known galaxy. They can be forgiven. They weren't there. And they're stupid politicians playing their dumb power games. You, on the other hand were there. Your actions and your attitude just prove that you really aren't worth the trouble. That's my opinion. Make of it what you will. And just so you know, you'll be riddled with modded bullets from three different guns if you even raise a hand against our Elia. Just a warning. I'd say four, but it seems like little sister Shepard is otherwise occupied."_

_"Hey now! Not you too, Garrus. Mum gives big sis and me enough shit for it", said Elisira, indignantly._

_"Eh? What? I just meant that you couldn't train your gun on him because your hand wasn't free. That's all."_

_Elisira's face cleared. She looked at him suspiciously. "Oh. You sure that's all you meant by it?"_

_"Archangel's honor."_

_Elia laughed. "Little sis, smoking does nothing for or to turian physiology. It doesn't signify to them."_

_"Oh, I didn't know that." Elisira sounded mollified._

_Kaidan noticed that Garrus had had his rifle pointed at him the whole time. As he'd said, the Drell had his SMG and the Krogan had a rather mean looking shotgun in hand, looking out for any sign of trouble. He tried to put it out of his mind and looked back at Shepard. It was fair to say that he was rather rattled._

_On the other hand, Elia was just looking on at the conversation between Garrus and Elisira with interest. She turned back to him, once she had helped Garrus out. Her expression remained inscrutable._

_She took a drag on her half finished cigarette, and exhaled slowly. "Gimme a fucking break, Alenko. Cerberus is evil, but working with the Reapers and the Collectors? Really? If that's the best you can come up with, then quit wasting time and go already. File your report to the Alliance. Blame Cerberus, say I'm working with them, do whatever. The other possibility you mentioned, that The Illusive Man is using the Reaper threat to control me, well that may be partially true. He doesn't control me, but he gives me intel and resources. We may be working together, but it's an uneasy alliance borne out of fighting a common threat. I'd be the first to admit it. It is not the first sacrifice I've had to make in this fight, either. With the shortage of people in the galaxy willing to prepare for and fight the Reaper invasion, Cerberus is the best option at this point. Until everyone wakes up and accepts the threat, and by that time, I estimate at least a few hundred billion casualties. If not much more. It's coming, Kaidan. I'll get every fucking race, every damn faction to work together, whether they like it or not. This is much bigger than any single species."_

_She took another drag on her cigarette and looked impassively at him. Kaidan realized that she was right about one thing at the very least - they weren't getting anywhere. The other things - well, she was probably right about them too. But, he couldn't do anything about it. He had his orders._

_"Look, Shepard, a leopard can't change its spots. Cerberus cannot be trusted at any cost. You've changed, or maybe you haven't. I never could figure out your motivations before, and I don't want to pretend that I can understand now. But I've not changed and I know where my loyalties lie. I'm an Alliance soldier through and through. As for my report, I will say that the Collectors are responsible, but that it is clear that Cerberus isn't involved, at the very least. I can't say anything about the Reapers, because there really isn't any evidence here and now of their involvement. I don't know what Anderson and the rest will make of it, but I don't think they're ignoring you at all. When the time comes, I can bet that the Alliance will be ready."_

_"Maybe. Even so, this is more or less how I expected it to go down. Do you honestly think they'll believe your report, though? The Collectors are an unknown enemy; it's easier to just blame Cerberus. Despite all the crap they get up to, they aren't responsible for this. My motivations are the same as they have been ever since this mess began - to find a way to stop the Reapers. That's all."_

_"Goodbye, Shepard. And good luck."_

_"Goodbye, Kaidan. See you around.."_

_Kaidan walked off._

_-0-_

Kaidan snapped out of his reminiscences as his taxi pulled up to the complex where Shepard was supposedly being held. He got off and went up the twelve floors to where her apartment was and got out of the elevator. He made his way to apartment number 17, at the other end of the floor, overlooking the river. He found the door guarded by the Krogan he'd seen back on Horizon. He walked up to him and said, "I'm Major Kaidan Alenko. I want to meet Elia Shepard. Is she here?"

Grunt looked at him and said. "I recognize you, human. You were at Horizon. You disrespected my Battlemaster back there, and you think to demand a meeting with her? I don't think you are worthy of any of her time."

Kaidan found himself a slight bit angry at the Krogan. "I served with her, helped her stop Saren."

Grunt guffawed, a rather scary noise. "Ha, I have heard of you from her and from my clan leader Urdnot Wrex. You were barely strong enough to be in her squad for all but the most trivial missions. You have proven nothing. Besides, your behaviour on Horizon more than showed your weakness. Get out of my sight, human. Shepard is busy."

"Look, you better get out of my way, Krogan. I will meet with Elia."

Grunt grew angry. "You dare speak her given name, you unworthy scum?"

Kaidan was livid. His biotics flared and he punched Grunt. Grunt was knocked back against the wall. He spat out some blood and roared. He ran at Kaidan. Kaidan threw a biotic throw at him, but it didn't affect Grunt.

"Feel the blood rage", shouted Grunt as he rammed Kaidan with his head.

Kaidan was thrown off balance. Grunt immediately punched him right on his stomach. Kaidan went flying and hit the opposite wall, the wind knocked out of him. He clutched his stomach and waited for the next assault, but it never came. He sat up against the wall, and opened his eyes. He hurt everywhere.

He saw a woman hugging the Krogan, calming him down. It was Shepard.

"Grunt, calm down", she said, patting Grunt on his back and pacifying him, somewhat like a mother pacifying her baby.

"What's the commotion, sis?", asked another voice. Elisira. Shepard's sister stepped out into the hallway.

"He demanded to enter so he could meet Battlemaster. I told him he was unworthy, that he didn't deserve any of your time after all that he did. Besides, you said you were busy so I should only let important people through...He just attacked me, with a biotic punch. No warning, no challenge. Just threw the punch."

"Does it hurt anywhere?" asked Shepard, with some concern.

Grunt calmed down from his blood rage. Kaidan was once again amazed by her powers of persuasion.

Grunt replied, "My chest does, a bit, but it'll go away."

"No open wounds, right?"

"No, Shepard, I'm Krogan. We regenerate. I spat out some blood. I'll clean it up."

"Yeah, Grunt, but that doesn't give you the right to go around getting hurt. And, forget about the blood, I'll get it cleaned. You just go inside with Eli and get some rest, all right?"

Grunt's eye fell upon Kaidan, and he seemed to get angry again. "But, how about this varren? Shouldn't I knock him out at least?"

Shepard slapped him. Grunt looked suitably abashed.

"Grunt, what did I tell you about fighting, huh? Control your rage", she chided.

"But...but...I am in control!", said Grunt.

"No you aren't. Do you really think you'll enjoy beating him? You've seen that he fights without honor, and he can't even get up after your first attack. Is he truly worth it?"

Grunt calmed down.

"No", he said, sadly. He suddenly went down on his knees. "I have failed you, Battlemaster. You may punish me however you see fit."

Shepard sighed before she went down and lifted him to his feet. She made him face her.

"No, Grunt, I've told you before, and I'll tell you again. I will never punish you, and you haven't failed me in any way. The level of control you exhibit is quite impressive, everything considered. You are a credit to your clan. I'm proud of you. Never go down on your knees again to anyone. Like you said, you are krogan, and you were good enough to be part of the squad that took down the entire Collector race. You took down a thresher maw during your Rite of Passage. The galaxy bows to you, not the other way around."

He replied, "There is no shame in getting down on my knees to the greatest Battlemaster any civilization has ever seen. You released me from my tank, gave me purpose. You led the team against the Collectors. My Rite of Passage was accomplished only because you were at my side. You are also the only one our legendary leader considers good enough to be his Battlemaster. You truly have no match, no equal."

"Aww, that's so sweet", purred Shepard, as she drew him into a tight hug.

She kissed him on his nose, an action that bought forth a happy keening noise from the krogan. Elisira looked on, amused.

When she released him, she said, "It's almost time to eat. Get inside, all right? I'll finish up here."

"Okay", said Grunt before turning and going into the apartment.

Elia looked at Elisira and said, "See that he's okay, will ya? I'll finish up here."

"Will do", replied Elisira, as she followed Grunt in.

Shepard then turned her attention to Kaidan. She walked over to him and helped him up.

"Need an ambulance?", she asked.

"Nah, I can walk it off", replied Kaidan.

"Okay. See you around, I guess. I've got to get back to it."

She turned to go back in. Kaidan felt weirdly angry. She hadn't even acknowledged him properly.

"Shepard, hold on. Hackett told me you'd be here… I wanted to check up on you… see how you were, you know…"

"Well, as you can see, I'm fine. The Alliance has finally accepted the Reaper threat, and they conveniently put me in charge of their war. They offered to reinstate me, but I declined. No way I'll follow the orders of a body that turned its back on me. I'm now a consultant for them, or will be officially, once the Reapers start their invasion and the batarians can't declare war on the human race for my actions on Aratoht. Of course, they're gonna keep postponing my 'trial' until then, though if you ask me, it beats logic that I'd even be put on trial in the first place. I ended my association with the Alliance as soon as I became a Spectre and after I was declared dead, they never changed the records to indicate that I wasn't. I did that mission with Dr. Kenson as a personal favor to Hackett and I made that decision because it was the best one available. I probably saved billions at the cost of less than a million. I'd do it again, given the choice. I've been doing what I can, though the real war's not begun yet. And we're nowhere near prepared for it. Extreme casualties loom. The galaxy is going to be set on fire, soon enough."

"Uhh, yeah."

"So, if that's all, I'll have to go see to our dinner."

"Shepard, wait… I'm sorry I attacked the krogan...Grunt, that way, it was uncalled for."

Shepard laughed, and told Kaidan mockingly, "Oh Kaidan. It's all right. Grunt was hardly hurt. Though, that kind of behaviour is something I've come to expect from you – you always did fight dirty. Though, I gotta say, it's a good thing I came out when I did. Think of all the paperwork I would have needed to file if Grunt had actually killed you. Anyhow, Major, if you were looking for a friend, you won't find one here."

Kaidan looked down in shame. "You hate me that much after Horizon?"

Shepard gave him a lopsided smirk. "Hate? Hate is a strong emotion, Major. Presence of that emotion indicates that you actually care enough about the subject to feel it. I hate Councilor Sparatus, I hate tuna. You...well frankly, I don't care about you enough to feel anything but apathy. I'm just indifferent to you. I don't believe you're really worth the effort. Does that answer your question?"

She looked at him, expressionless, and went back into her apartment, locking the door shut. Kaidan was paralyzed. With sadness, with despair, with some small amount of anger. At himself for acting the way he had, and with what had just taken place. He would have preferred if Elia had hated him for what he did. Anything was better than her claimed indifference. But, on closer examination of the facts, he could make out that Shepard didn't give two hoots about him personally. She had said as much, and the look she'd given him before she'd left him had confirmed it. He truly was dead to her. All he could hope to be was a nameless, faceless soldier in her war. And as that realization made its way into Kaidan Alenko's mind, he found himself possessed with a new resolve. He'd try to do things right from now on. The upcoming war needed everyone at their best.


	4. Partners in Crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is set on Menae, during the time Elia makes her way to retrieve the Primarch. Her most trusted lieutenant, Garrus Vakarian reflects on the previous six months.

-Partners in crime-

"Are you sure it was her?", asked Garrus Vakarian.

Sergeant Bartus replied, "Oh yes! I'm certain. Shepard came here. Said she needed the Primarch. General Corinthus told her about the comm tower, and she went over to fix it. Had an Asari, a human who resembled her, and another male human with her. Wore goggles. By the Spirits, she could fight. Took out at least a hundred husks, by my count. I wish I had a video camera. We could have recorded it and shown our men. An edited video of someone who fights like that...that will up morale considerably. Even when it looks as dire as this, if we have leaders like her, then maybe, just maybe we'll win."

"Sounds like her. And Sergeant, that's a damn fine idea! Get someone on it ASAP. There's enough engineers around to rig up a holo-cam, and she's bound to be here for a time. She'll be certain to leave a trail of Reaper troops in her wake. Show these men that if a human woman could do it, then they bloody well need to man the fuck up themselves. And try to make me look good too".

Garrus gave Sergeant Bartus a wide smile. The first smile he'd been able to manage in the four days since the Reapers had hit Menae, and Palaven. But, by the Spirits, Garrus was deliriously happy. She was back. And he could join her again, be at her side, watching her back, where he belonged. It'd be nice to see Liara and Elisira and the rest too. It felt like home and family were near. Even if the situation was such that you could die any second.

The past six months had been frustrating. Shepard had requested him to do what he could, to prepare his people for the Reapers after the Alpha Relay incident. She was assisting the Alliance with their own preparations, on Hackett's request. Besides, it also served to prevent the Batarians from starting a war just before the Reapers hit.

It had been difficult for him to leave the Normandy yet again. But, he knew she was the only hope the damn galaxy had. If she told him to do something, he just trusted her and went with it. She had advised him to patch up his differences with one Castis B. Vakarian. His father. On that, especially, she had been very firm. With a heavy heart, he'd listened to her, and did as much as he could to prepare the Turian colonies against the Reaper invasion. He had a small task force, given to him as a token by Fedorian, the Primarch. Actually, he had been given the task force more because his father had helped him raise up a ruckus, and they needed to be placated somehow.

Shepard was always right. Keeping a clear head was essential to fighting a war. He did not have his unresolved issues with his father dogging him anymore. It was freeing. They had talked for over eight hours, Garrus telling him about what he'd done with Shepard, his work on Omega, his motivation, his reasons, everything. His father had just listened. He hadn't judged him. Bastian finally said that he was proud of Garrus and all he had done. He quickly added that he didn't exactly approve of his methods. But, at the end of it, Garrus had never exactly possessed his father's patience and respect for methods and rules. Father and son accepted that they were different, but that at the end of it, they loved and respected each other for who they were. Garrus had Shepard to thank for that. For pushing him to do it. Just as he had Shepard to thank for bringing him back from the dead at Omega, for her help with his vengeance against Sidonis, for giving him a reason to live.

After being given his task force, Garrus had done all he could to help the meritocracy prepare. Prepared colonies for the invasion. Security protocols, evacuation routes, basic first aid and combat training, and many other practical things besides. Two weeks earlier, the first attacks had begun. Four days after that, he had been called to the Imperium at Cipritine, to meet with the Primarch, and the generals of the Turian Empire. (Garrus had been surprised to learn there were only 14. He'd always put the number closer to 50) Finally, they were sitting up and taking notice!

He'd met legends of the Turian military, men like Adrien Victus, Denid Isendral, and Miles Corinthus. And then, Primarch Fedorian requested his help as a soldier who had seen the Reapers, and had helped Commander Shepard stop them before, and even offered to make him a General, so he would have the respect and position he needed and deserved for his actions. Regerattably, they had been ignored thus far, but now with the threat looming, they'd been able to realize its importance.

Garrus gaped at Fedorian in astonishment. Gathering himself, he flatly declined. It was the Primarch's turn to gape. The Generals also looked at him, astonished.

He gave a small smile and said, "I am sorry, Primarch. I am honored by your offer, make no mistake. But I cannot accept it. Being a General of the meritocracy would require me to remain at Palaven, or in some part of Turian space. The men under me will expect it, as will all my peers. That's not possible. I have no intention of staying here once the fighting starts. Elia Albarn Shepard is the only one whom I could ever follow. She is the only one who has ever given me the sort of fights I enjoy getting into, and frankly, that's where I will be able to contribute the most to this effort. We are the Normandy crew. We've been fighting this thing on the frontlines over three years now, and they'll put statues of all of us everywhere once this is done. We're the tip of the spear, and we're going to make damn sure the Reapers are pierced. I plan to be at her side through it all. It would be a disservice to her as well as to the meritocracy to accept this role. However much my father would like to see me as a general in the military, that is just not me. I would be happy to provide my services as an advisor, and will be at your disposal whenever I have the time. That is a promise."

There was silence in the room. The Primarch looked at Garrus thoughtfully.

General Victus broke the silence.

"What makes you put so much faith in Shepard?", he asked, wonderingly.

"I have fought at her side, General. When you win time and again against unbeatable odds repeatedly, you implicitly trust the one who leads you. She forces a team to reach a different level than what they would be capable of in normal course. Her squad is several times the sum of it's parts. I don't believe anyone else could ever match up to her level of brilliance on the field and her leadership ability. Of course, I do realize my testimony is probably nowhere near enough that everyone here will just take it at face value. Since we've been bitten before by the 'there is no proof' bug, we recorded all our fights against the Collectors. Obviously, there is also a lot of data we found on the Reapers at various points of our fight against them. I will make these available to everyone here."

The Generals looked at him with some surprise.

Garrus explained, "We all had our omni-tools outfitted with holographic vidcams. It syncs with our battle-suits. We had some really talented engineers and scientists on the Normandy - Tali, Miranda, Mordin, Daniels, Donnelly. They came up with it together. Like I said, Shepard was sick and tired of being labelled mentally unstable by the idiots in the administration for not having proof about the Reapers. All our skirmishes with them, all the shit we went through, we recorded, so that we could show the right people the parts of it that are relevant. Useful as it turns out, since I can actually show everyone here now."

He then proceeded to show them Harbinger's ability to remotely control his minions, and his visceral, terrifying threats, mostly aimed at Shepard. He also provided details of Harbinger itself, one of the oldest Reapers, possibly their leader, what they had pieced together with EDI's help. He also showed them the conversation Shepard had had with Harbinger, during the Alpha Relay incident, where she was called an annoyance. Garrus noted with some satisfaction how that made everyone sit up.

At the end, Garrus looked around the room.

Finally, Fedorian spoke up, "The Reapers, these machines...they know of Shepard, and have marked her as their biggest threat. The krogan have a belief: that a warrior is only as strong as their enemies. It is rather apt here, and says a lot about this human. Garrus, do you have any idea what she has in mind? And what her allies and friends are doing?"

"Oh, she has many high friends in higher places, Primarch. Her reach extends further than anyone I know. If I know her, she'll be getting all of them mobilized. I can't tell you exact details, though. However, I'm personally in contact with her Normandy ground squad members, past and present. We are an odd bunch, as I guess we have to be. You've got to be slightly touched to follow that woman, if you think about it. I can give you a very general idea of what they are all up to. Dr. Liara T'Soni, daughter of the late Matriarch Benezia, was studying Prothean archives everywhere in the hopes of finding something to use against the Reapers. She's been part of this from the beginning, too. For reasons I will not reveal, her resources will prove invaluable. Last I heard from her, she was on Mars in the Sol system. Urdnot Wrex, Grunt and the Krogan will be willing to help her, and that may be instrumental in getting them to help us. And before anyone starts telling me about how destructive the krogan are and all that jazz - let me tell you this straight out. We need them. And they need us. This is the best time to just let go of past grudges, and negotiate with them fairly. I would suggest that we wait until Shepard gets involved on that front. Similarly, we need to find a peaceful solution to the Quarian and Geth quandary. Shepard proved that we could work with them. Even I count a geth as one of my allies and friends, despite taking out a countless number of them when we were chasing our dear brother, Saren. Tali'Zorah went back to the Migrant Fleet to prepare them the best she can. I'm not sure how she's doing, comms have gone static from her for a week. Miranda Lawson said she'd try to get some of the Cerberus cells to join us. A lot of brilliant people work for Cerberus without knowing what they really are. Zaeed will do what he can to help our effort with his numerous mercenary contacts. The man's been in the business a long time, and his friends will definitely be useful. Kasumi Goto was following a lead on some Reaper technology over in the Sahrabarik system. She'll also be digging up some contacts from heists she's pulled off in the past. Their expertise will undoubtedly be valuable, and Kasumi herself will definitely be by El's side through everything. She should be catching a ride Earth-side towards that end. Last I heard from her, Jack is instructing human students in the application of biotic artillery strikes to help the war effort at one of their foremost academies, the Jon Grissom School. She'll keep them safe, and if they're even a tenth as good as Jack is, we can use them for special ops. Thane Krios' condition was progressively worsening towards the end of our time on the Collector mission, but he promised to get as much help as he could from the Hanar, and the Drell, as well as his fellow assassins. He has a lot of contacts we should be able to call on for help. Mordin Solus said he'd rejoin his friends on the STG and get them working on ways to deal with the threat. He should be at their base in Sur'kesh. On a side note, we've actually worked with a pretty well-regarded and highly decorated ground team of the STG before when we took down Saren and Sovereign. She counts a marine named Kirrahe among her close acquaintances. The asari, Samara, went off to collect the Justicar order members for an unprecedented gathering to plan a course to help the effort. They will lend their aid when the fighting gets started. Jeff Moreau and EDI will likely join in when Shepard enters the fray, on her ship. As for Shepard herself, she is in the care of the Alliance, though she has no intention of accepting a reinstatement even if it is offered to her. She prefers operating as her own entity, not beholden to any political agenda."

Fedorian chuckled. Garrus looked at him questioningly.

"I was just thinking, all of Shepard's squadmates and friends largely seem to have one thing in common. They are not good citizens. You guys are all outsiders even to your own species, and have an equal disdain for politicians and government. This extends to even you, Garrus. I believe you gave up on the meritocracy as an administrative system long ago. Now, I'm not chiding you for it. Non-conformism is not a crime. It may get you in trouble, but it's not fundamentally wrong."

Garrus was beginning to like the Primarch. He was open-minded, at the very least. "Thank you for your support, sir. As I was saying, Shepard is probably helping the Alliance prepare anyway she can. Her sister should be with her and join the fight when she does."

"She has a sister?", asked Victus, curiously.

"Yes, she does. A little sister, about three years her junior. Also an N7 graduate, and the hero of the Skylian Blitz at Elysium. Was a legend in the Alliance and probably still is. But, she isn't not associated with them any more. Signed up for a voluntary discharge a while after the destruction of the original Normandy, and can't be caught more than a stone's throw away from her big sister."

"I believe I've heard of the Blitz. A batarian slaver raid. An almost impossible hold. It's even a part of the Delta Squad training simulation suites now. The one who pulled that off is this Shepard's sister?", asked Corinthus.

Garrus nodded. "Yes, the very same. Elisira Noel Shepard. A chip off the old block. Exceptional combat ability, though her sister's just so much more famous that she flies under the radar for the most part. Take it from me, though - that girl is just someone you'd just rather have on your side."

Fedorian nodded. "I see."

There was a pause in the conversation, as the top echelons of the meritocracy contemplated what Garrus had told them.

"I have a concern. Or a question, if you will. How will we galvanize these forces to follow a single cause? Will that fall to this Spectre as well?", asked General Perillon.

Garrus replied, "There's no one else it can fall to. This war is going to have extraordinarily high costs. So, the only way anything can be salvaged is if we keep our morale up and make the tough calls we need to make to win. And we need a hero to believe in. Honestly, that can only be Shepard. And her Normandy crew. She doesn't have a political agenda, and nobody can claim she's not fair to everyone. Like I've said before, she fights impossible odds and overcomes them time and again. I mean, how many people can collect a squad of twelve people, with barely anything in common apart from a talent for combat, unite them, lead them into an unknown world, destroy an ancient enemy with advanced technology, and then come riding out, with no casualties. That's the sort of skill we need to get out of this. All of us may die tomorrow, because that's just how dire our situation is. We will need to stand together and keep fighting for our survival. That is our only choice. We could have limited the damage had we listened to Shepard three years back. But even if we had prepared, even if we'd begun to make arrangements to repel them, the galaxy would still have been set ablaze by the Reapers in any case. If we lose, they will destroy us all. Continue the harvest. That cannot happen. For the sake of all the civilizations that have risen and fallen before us, not knowing of the monsters that lurk in the dark. We will need to destroy the Reapers for trying to control how we live and die. They have forty million years of slaughter to pay for."

There was a stunned silence in the room. Garrus realized that he had started banging on the table midway through and stamping his foot for effect during his little speech. He coughed and said, "Sorry about that. Er, got a bit carried away."

Suddenly, somebody started laughing. It was Victus. "Well said, Garrus. This Shepard of yours sounds like...a force of nature? Is that about right?"

"Well, sir. She's unlike anyone I've ever met. If you do get the chance to meet her, you'll know what I mean. I was with her on Virmire when she spoke to Sovereign. She listened to him, his grand statements of what the Reapers were, what they would do. It was not the most uplifting experience. But, she just pointed her gun at him and said, 'You're just a machine. And machines can be broken'. Among many other things, that particular incident always stayed with me. There is always a way to win. And she will find it. She takes the squad on suicide mission after suicide mission, and we all come out mostly in one piece, somehow. She even disappeared for a while. Almost died, apparently. But, given what she's done, 'cheating death' doesn't seem a particularly incredible addition to her list of accomplishments. El and the squad do it on a daily basis."

Garrus chuckled as he reminisced. Then, he suddenly realized where he was.

"Apologies, good sirs. Didn't mean to wander off. Erm, like I said, I have intelligence and data that could help us, that I've made available. Beyond that, I place myself at your disposal until such time I'm required on the Normandy. Primarch. Generals."

Fedorian laughed this time. "Thank you, Garrus." He addressed the room. "This war is going to be greater than anything we have ever faced. For now, with Garrus' help, we will have meeting to chart our short-term course. And then, we wait and hope for the best. I don't think it'll be wrong to hope that Shepard rides in to save the day for us all." He chuckled. "But that meeting, we will have in the evening, after everyone is sufficiently rested. Goodbye. Stay strong. Stay clear. We'll get it done. May the Spirits watch over us all."

-0-

Garrus came back to the present, and felt a twinge of sadness. Primarch Fedorian had been lost about half a day ago. He had been a good man, a man Elia would have approved of. He could only hope that the new Primarch was as capable. He rushed back to the encampment to find Shepard. He went over to Commander Drevin's tent. Drevin was the one who handled the comms.

He walked up to him and asked, "Commander Drevin. I'm Garrus Vakarian. Have you been able to establish a comm link to Palaven? What's the word on the Primarch?"

Drevin stood to attention and saluted, "Vakarian, sir. I didn't see you come in."

"At ease, Commander. So, about the comm link?"

"Yes, sir. Palaven command has sent word. I was just about to relay the information to General Corinthus."

"Can you tell me, Commander? I was about to go see the General myself to relay the news. I hear he has some rather interesting visitors."

"I heard about that too, sir. The word is that Shepard is here. Is it true?" Drevin looked at Garrus hopefully.

Garrus knew Shepard was famous. Hell, she was a legend. But, why did the commander standing in front of him look so hopeful.

"Do you know her, Commander?"

"Oh, not really, sir. She saved me once, though. My squad and I were pinned down by the Blood Pack on an uncharted world. We'd seen suspicious activity, and stumbled onto a base. Six of us in the squad, four of us down. Thought we were done for. And then in comes Shepard and two others, one was Krogan and the other one was Salarian."

"Grunt and Mordin."

"Yes, sir. She seemed surprised to see us. Gave us medi-gel to help our wounded and helped us get to our shuttle. Then, went back and destroyed the comm relay. I remember the fight. She is quite fearsome. The Krogan leader of the mercs was this huge hulking battlemaster. He went head to head with the Krogan on Shepard's squad and knocked him down. As soon as Shepard saw that, she let out a wary cry that I can still hear in my ears sometimes. Then, she just zipped across the field with a biotic charge toward him, and channeled all that force into a punch that sent him flying. I think I heard the krogan's neck crack, but then she incinerated his face with a shotgun for good measure. The Salarian came up and lifted her Krogan to his feet. That was surprising as well. A krogan and a salarian working together? I've only ever heard jokes with that line. I've certainly never seen that sort of camaraderie between people from those two races ever before. It was a very interesting experience."

"She has that effect on people", said Garrus, simply.

"Yes sir. Now, about the information you wanted. The new Primarch is General Victus."

"Adrien Victus?", asked Garrus.

"The very same."

"Interesting. Thank you for your time, Commander."

"Any time, sir. I'll continue to stay here and monitor the comms."

Garrus nodded at the Commander and walked toward Corinthus' tent. He was slightly distracted. Victus had been fighting alongside him that very morning. While Fedorian was open to unconventional strategies on the battlefield, Victus had made his career out of them. Much like Shepard had made hers out of doing the impossible. This was an interesting turn of events. Garrus could not have picked a better Primarch himself!

As he approached the General's tent, he could hear a raised female voice. Shepard! She sounded impatient.

"Come on! I need somebody. Anybody so we can get the Turians on board."

General Corinthus was trying to calm her down. "This isn't the sort of info you can give over channels, Commander. Commander Drevin will be here shortly."

"Patience, big sis. Save your energy instead of stomping around", said an amused voice. Elisira.

Elia sighed, seemingly taking Elisira's advice and quietening down.

Garrus walked into the tent. "I'm on it, Shepard. We'll find you the new Primarch."

Shepard crinkled her brows and squinted out over Corinthus' shoulder. That voice sounded familiar.

Garrus walked up beside Corinthus and Shepard exclaimed, "Garrus!" with obvious joy.

Garrus also spied Liara behind Shepard. It was good to see her alive and well too.

"Vakarian, sir. I didn't see you arrive", said Corinthus.

"At ease, General."

Spirits, this was getting old. Generals calling him 'Sir'.

Shepard gave him a lopsided smirk. Oh, he'd be teased no end for this!

"I thought you'd be on Palaven", said Shepard, presently.

"If we lose this moon, we lose Palaven. I'm the closest thing they have to an expert on Reapers, so I'm advising."

Shepard hastily stubbed the cigarette she had lit, and walked over to Garrus.

"Good to see you again, Garrus. We've missed your ugly mug", said Shepard, giving him a carapace-crushing hug.

She turned to the well-muscled human on her left. He was big, no two ways about it. Garrus still fancied he was taller than him though.

"James, this is Garrus Vakarian. He helped me stop the Collectors, and Saren before that. He can never stay away from any fight I drag him into. Always has my back."

James stepped forward to shake Garrus' hand. "I've heard a lot about you, sir. You're as legendary as Lola and Bimba here. Someone needs to watch their backs."

Garrus laughed. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be, Lieutenant. But, this here...it will easily dwarf all our previous fights. Nice to have you on-board, though. Good to see you too, Liara, Elisira."

Liara smiled and said, "I'm glad to see you're in one piece, Garrus."

However, Elisira had other ideas, cannoning into Garrus and hugged him almost as tight as her sister had.

"Nice to see you upping your missile-dodging game, Vakarian. Our roster's almost getting full, with big sis getting her XO back."

She was referring to the fact that Garrus was the de-facto XO on-board the Normandy, even though Miranda had officially held the title during the Collector mission.

Garrus recovered quickly and then chuckled. "You two sisters are just impossible. Glad to see some things never change, though. This will be just like old times, eh... We've done some pretty crazy things, but that will all look positively sane when we're through with this fight...I can almost picture the statues they'll put of all of of us in every part of the galaxy once we're done."

Liara commented, "And we'd have deserved it for all the shit we've had to endure."

"Hell, yeah", said the Shepard sisters together.

General Corinthus cleared his throat. He was quite obviously lost. Garrus quickly remembered his primary (now secondary?) purpose for coming there.

"Oh yes, back to why I originally came over. Commander Drevin filled me in. The man we're looking for is Adrien Victus."

Liara's eyes lit up in recognition. She said, "Victus? His name's crossed my deck a few times."

Garrus said, "Life-long military. Popular with his troops. Not so much with the high command. Tendency to play loose with accepted strategy. That business with the Salarian spy ring and Turian Separatist Group on Taetrus was his doing."

Elisira nodded knowingly. "Make use of natural enmity to reduce your own risk exposure. Wild, but brilliant. I'm pretty sure big sis couldn't have done much better if she'd been there herself."

Elia agreed. "Definitely. You have to take every advantage you can get. Especially so in this war."

General Corinthus commented, "A bold move. But wild behavior doesn't get you promoted up the meritocracy fast."

Elia countered, "Battle strategies that work even if they don't fit the norm do not imply wild behaviour, General. It is an unfortunate state of affairs. All of us on the Normandy know that all too well... In any case, this might be a good thing. What do you make of him, Garrus? Sparatus and Quintus back at the Citadel spoke well of Fedorian."

"I was fighting alongside him this morning. I trust him. He'll do whatever it takes to get the job done. And though he doesn't jump at the chance to destroy everything in sight like an old human Spectre I know, he is open to extreme solutions if the situation demands it."

Shepard blushed slightly at the implied praise. Or was it criticism? She turned to the General.

"General, have you been able to raise him yet?"

"Not been able to establish a stable comm link with his position."

Shepard was buzzed over her own comm link. It was Joker. Emergency on the Normandy with EDI's computer systems. Some sort of a interference caused by the Reapers? Rather worrying news. Liara offered to go back and make sure they were okay and ready to bug out. Shepard nodded at her and told her to do it.

After resolving that situation, Shepard turned back to talk to the General, but was rudely interrupted by a harvester's high pitched shriek.

Shepard looked at it thoughtfully, then turned back to Corinthus, "Okay, General. Try to raise the Primarch if you can. In the meanwhile, we'll take care of what that thing dropped off."

Garrus knew Shepard was a woman of action. And action was so near, he could taste it.

Shepard turned to Garrus, twinkle in her eye, a smile playing on her lips. She knew the answer to her question before asking it. But, she asked it anyway.

"Coming, Garrus?"

Garrus reloaded his sniper rifle, a custom modded Black Widow, one that Shepard had got for him herself, and looked back at her, smiling.

"Do you even have to ask! I'm right behind you."

He checked its sights, and took his place behind Elia. James looked over at him and reloaded his shotgun, and took his place next to her. Elisira stood behind him, readying up as well. Shepard put her visor back on (an Umbra Visor- a Rosenkov Materials prototype), reloaded her trusty Locust (in her right hand), and her recently acquired Paladin (a modded Carnifex, not as heavy, in her left hand), checked to see that Raze, her short-sword was sheathed, and that her modded Crusader shotgun was ready for action. Then, she nodded to her companions to move out.

The group of four moved off in tight formation.

General Corinthus stared after the group that had just left, supremely confident in their ability to take down a harvester. He'd known Vakarian was good, the human male, James, had certainly looked capable. The younger sister, Elisira was well-known, even to the meritocracy. But, the woman who led them. He could see why Vakarian spoke of her with such reverence. As Fedorian had said, she truly was almost a force of nature, capable of extreme destruction. Tobestik had spoken in awe of her ability in combat. The comm tower that had been jammed by the Reapers about an hour prior had been proving difficult to fix for the turian ground forces. Then, Shepard and her group had arrived and done it in less than a quarter of that. Apparently, she had even managed to get lost on the way there.

The General commed a squad, whose position was near where Shepard was headed. He told them to move out and go to another part of the battlefield. Didn't want anyone getting in her way. Somehow, the General didn't think much of the harvester's chances.

-0-

General Adrien Victus' squad was having a bit of a problem. They were almost platoon strength, in entrenched positions all around the camp. Yet, they had already suffered quite heavy losses. Twenty of the fifty men down, another five dead. And, all they really had to show for it was the dead body of one of those wretched brutes. Three yet remained. It looked rather bleak.

Suddenly, there was a flash of blue. One of the brutes fell, its head severed. Then a high impact blast and a loud explosion took another one down. The last one seemed surprised by the deaths of his colleagues. He was suddenly knocked back. Victus took up a sniper rifle and scoped in to see the ones responsible for the carnage.

He saw a Turian holding a powerful looking sniper rifle picking off the smaller reaper troops. Looked like Garrus. Wait a minute. It was Garrus! That could only mean Shepard was nearby. He turned his attention to a human male wrestling the turian-looking reaper down and killing it. What had they dubbed it again…. Oh yes, a 'marauder'. But that couldn't be Shepard. Shepard was female.

Then, he saw a human female providing what looked to be covering fire to another. Their appearances were quite similar. Just the way the way they wore their hair was different. Sisters? Then, Garrus' words came back to him. Elia Shepard had a younger sister who traveled around with her as well. And now, the two of them had come over to help (with Garrus and another unidentified ally). He really didn't care why they'd come - he was in no position to choose what help he got, afer all.

"Spirits", he swore, as he observed the sisters.

The one in the middle of the field (for whom the other was providing covering fire) seemed totally crazy. She seemed to be teasing the brute. His heavy club was coming down multiple times, but she just kept dodging it with ease. Then, almost as if to say, 'playtime's over, you son of a bitch', she wreathed herself in a blue (biotic) barrier, a short-sword appearing in her left hand and charged at the monster, her hand ready to release the full force of the power she had summoned. And, she bashed the creature's head in with her right hand, sliced its head off with her short-sword. It groaned, took an unsteady step, and finally fell. Then, in the same fluid motion, she switched her stance and hit the ground below her with a nova powerful enough to knock the marauders that surrounded the area back. Two of them stayed down, dead and defeated. The other stood up, dazed and was quickly gunned down by the other female.

A few stragglers were left. The group made short work of them. Thus, a group of Reaper troops that had given his squad hell for over an hour, was taken down in minutes by a group of four people.

Victus shook his head in disbelief. This was what Vakarian had spoken of. Shepard and her squad fought with a brazen confidence, seemingly unfazed by the number and strength of the enemy force, whoever or whatever it was. That was the sort of madness that they needed leading them, he supposed.

Vakarian glanced around at the stunned soldiers around the compound. Victus fancied he saw a smirk playing on the turian's face. The two women walked around the compound, obviously searching for someone. Whenever they found a wounded turian, one of them would stop to give him some aid, and let them move to safety.

Eventually, Garrus walked up to them and pointed in Victus' direction. The group changed course, and strode purposefully toward the General. The female who looked to be their leader walked ahead, with Garrus, the other female and the human male following in her wake.

Victus supposed that he was whom she wanted to meet. He wondered why. Well, he'd find out soon enough.

He said, "Lieutenant, lower the door. Let's see what she wants."

He went out of the enclosure and stood surveying the rest of the camp. Presently, the little group reached him.

The leader took off her goggles. Obviously specialized equipment. Both the Shepard sisters had considerable tech combat skills, in Garrus' estimation. One look at Garrus' visor had been enough to tell him that Garrus himself was rather good with tech. If he these two highly - well, they had to be pretty darn good!

That was a moot point, however. Victus fancied he was a tad bit intimidated by the woman.

She spoke, "General Adrien Victus?"

Her voice was well, feminine, and had an edge to it. Not impatience. It had a quality that gave the impression that she wasn't to be trifled with.

"Yes?" he replied, guardedly.

"I'm Elia Albarn Shepard, of the Normandy, consulting for the Alliance, and a Council Spectre. There isn't any easy way to say this. Primarch Fedorian is dead. You're the new Primarch, and you're needed off-world to chair a summit of the galaxy's species in the war against the Reapers. My squad and I have come to get you."

Victus' mind went into overdrive. He said weakly, "I'm Primarch of Palaven, negotiating for the Turian hierarchy?"

"Yes", affirmed Shepard.

"But, I'm no politician. I hate politicians. And, I piss people off. I've been military all my life. War is in my blood. I've led men in every major battle in the last 30 years, taken some extreme measures at times. It may seem reckless, thought it's anything but." He trailed off.

Shepard considered him for a moment. Then, she walked up closer to him and said, "You sound perfect to me. You know exactly how bad it can get. War is your resume. We need leaders who have seen that hell, not prissy little politicians playing their power games while the whole damn galaxy crumbles around him."

She gave him a small smile.

"I like that attitude."

Victus was beginning to like this woman. He had seen enough evidence of her ability in combat. He could see her ability to inspire, to make people believe. He had actually started to believe, to hope, that they had a chance.

Wasn't that strange? His home-world, burning. The moon he was on, barely holding. She was glancing at him expectantly.

"Commander..."

"Actually, I don't have a rank. I don't believe I will ever accept another", she interjected.

"But you command the Normandy?"

"That I do."

"Then you're Commander. As I was saying, do you really believe we have a chance against these machines, these abominations?"

Shepard looked around her in silence, taking in all the destruction that the fight had already caused. The graves of so many millions already around them.

Eventually, she turned around and said, "There are no two ways about it, we will lose a lot of people. Family, friends, loved ones. But, these machines have given us, and countless civilizations before us, enough pain. Their very existence is a mistake. We will stop them. We will survive and rebuild. So yes, I believe we have a chance. I have a strong ship and a stronger squad behind me. I'll do whatever the hell it takes." She held his gaze a few moments longer.

Victus nodded decisively. "Give me a moment to say goodbye to my men."

Shepard nodded.

Then, she made her way to her sister, who'd taken up a seat on a couple of crates behind her. She settled herself on one as well. Garrus came over to stand next to her, looking out at the destruction on Palaven. Elia took our her pack of smokes, lit one up, and passed it to her sister. She did not offer one to Garrus as turians could not smoke them anyway. They were a pastime meant only for humans, asari, and elcor, as far as she knew. Little sister took one and lit up as well.

Elia took a long drag.

Presently, Garrus said, "Would you just look at that! A force that powerful, and they want my advice on how to deal with that. Failed C-Sec officer, ex-vigilante."

He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Yeah failed C-Sec officer who helped bring Saren down and bought time for the galaxy. Ex-vigilante who helped destroy the Collectors. Look at me. Rogue Spectre. Butcher of Torfan. Hell, I even massacred an entire system to buy us what, six months? And they expect me to lead entire armies into this war."

"Hell, we're probably the biggest heroes in the galaxy at this point. Even so, you know there's really something crazy going on in the galaxy, when a merry band of misfits is all that stands between survival and total destruction", quipped Elisira.

Garrus and Elia chuckled.

They continued to look out onto the sight of Palaven, burning.

Presently, Garrus said, "Tell me honestly, El. Do we really have a chance to win this?"

She considered him briefly, and replied, "I don't know, Garrus. But, I'm sure as hell gonna give it my best shot."

"And I'm damn sure no one else has a chance of pulling it off."

He paused, then, "For what it's worth, I'm with you, whatever comes, till the end."

"Just like old times?"

The two friends laughed. They had come a long way since meeting on the Citadel - back then, Shepard had been looking for evidence to bring Saren down, and Garrus was being stonewalled by C-Sec as he tried to find evidence that Saren had betrayed the Council.

Shepard finished her cigarette, stubbed it, and stood up. "Well, it's damn good to have you aboard, Garrus."

"Wouldn't miss this fight for anything."

"Well, someone's got to have big sis' back when I'm not around", piped up Elisira.

Garrus laughed again. He thought for a bit.

"Say, El. That pistol you use, is it like a modded Carnifex?"

Elia nodded. "Yes, it's called the Paladin. Developed by the salarians, not as heavy as the Carnifex, more rounds, and a bit more bang. Eli and I worked on some omni-tool upgrades too. It has a few new ideas that we think you would be mightily interested in. I also had Miranda and Dr. Chakwas fit us with some prototype biotic and cybernetic upgrades Sumi came by on Bindur. They seem to be working well in combat, so we'll probably try to make more of them for the squad if they're interested."

Garrus nodded. "You know me - always up for some upgrades. Hook me up!"

Then, Elia seemed to think of something. "Say, Garrus. You had family back on Palaven, right? How are they?"

Garrus' expression became downcast.

"Yes, dad and mum. A little sister, Solana. I'm not sure how they're doing - I left for this moon about five days ago."

"Big sis, we have to go save them, if possible", said Elisira.

"I agree. We'll go there once we're off this moon", said Elia.

Garrus looked at both sisters, surprised and a little touched. "El, you can't just do this sort of thing - time is valuable, and..."

"Family is more valuable. You know you want to, Garrus. And your sister is pretty famous in your military, isn't she? Solana Vakarian."

"Yes, she is. Turian special operations. Squad Delta two, if I'm not wrong", supplied Elisira.

"Yeah, I remember. She maybe a good addition to our squad, if she's willing."

"Look, you can't just do this for me or on an off-chance that my sister will be willing to join", said Garrus.

"Why not?", asked Elia, looking at Garrus curiously.

Garrus began pacing. "I don't know. It just...seems petty? Millions are dying on Palaven, but we're singling out one family for extraction."

"Not just any family, though. The family of the SSV Normandy's XO. That's a big deal. I think that it is a big enough deal that we can justify their extraction. Possibility of gaining a skilled ally, and respected members of the meritocracy", commented Elisira.

"I agree. We are going...unless you have a reason to stop us, Vakarian", challenged Elia.

"I...Look, I want to go. I do want to make sure mum and dad and Sol are safe...but..."

Elisira cut him off. "Then, I think we're settled. Should I ping Joker and EDI to start preparations, big sis?"

"Go for it, Eli. Looks like we're not going to have much of a rest, though", replied Elia.

Elisira sent a short message to the Normandy, informing them of their intent.

Garrus looked at the two sisters. He was grateful, but still conflicted.

"Listen, you two. I'd just like to..."

"Don't even think of giving thanks, Garrus. You're family. We look after family. It's as simple as that."

Elia smiled at her friend. Garrus nodded stiffly, choked up and unable to continue.

Fortunately for him, he didn't have to, as the three of them turned to see Primarch Victus approaching.

"Commander, I appreciate the need for all of us to work together. But, I can't promise anything while Palaven burns and casualties continue to mount. But, if the pressure could be taken off Palaven…"

Garrus knew what was coming, but Spirits, couldn't Victus word it better. Just tell her what they needed. He made it sound like he expected Shepard to go around Palaven and kill every Reaper that had landed. Not that she couldn't, but hell, her time was better spent saving the galaxy as a whole!

Shepard furrowed her brows, confusion apparent.

"Er, Primarch. That's a pretty tall order…"

Victus seemed to realize that he'd confused Shepard with his request.

"Yes, I should have worded that better. I don't believe we can win this without the Krogan. Get them to help us, and we can help you. I believe they will listen to you, if what Garrus says is true."

Shepard's face cleared up. "Of course, Primarch. I completely agree. So, I take it you are open to extending them an invitation to the summit?"

"Yes, I am."

Shepard nodded at the new Primarch, thought for a while and said, "Also, before we go further, I will make my position clear to you. In this fight, I have no allegiance. I declined reinstatement into the Alliance, and I am working for them only in an advisory function. The Council granted me Spectre authority, but I am not really under their purview. Both the groups seem to believe, however, that I should run the war. Whether or not they realized what that will mean, I'm not sure. But, I will accept all manner of allies, and get everyone to work together however I can. This will mean that sacrifices will be necessary. Anything I do is to get everyone working together and giving us the best chance to win. More importantly, I will also be laying the groundwork for the peace to hold once this is all done. It will mean nothing if the universe returns to the same darkness after the haze of war clears. Will that be a problem, Primarch?"

The Primarch considered the implications of what she said.

Eventually, he nodded and said, "I agree in principle to what you have said, Commander. I will also say that they are lofty and noble ideals. You have my support as long as you don't unnecessarily endanger my brothers and sisters. Considering my position, I need to put them first. In return, I will extend the same respect to you and your allies, irrespective of their species."

As they walked to the shuttle, Garrus commented, "So, El. It seems like your summit just got a lot more interesting."

"Technically, it was called by the previous Primarch, Garrus."

"Oh, that's just because we were getting impatient. You were taking your sweet time joining the fight."

Shepard chuckled at that.

-0-


	5. 'The Impressions of a Primarch' and 'Saving the Vakarians'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't need to say this, but I will. Some details of this story do not strictly follow canon.
> 
> I couldn’t resist keeping Kasumi onboard the Normandy, for example. Also, I’ve read some fics which involve Garrus’ sister, so I thought I could try and explore a role for her. That comes in the next chapter, though.

-'The impressions of a Primarch' and 'Saving the Vakarians'-

Elia Albarn Shepard greatly surprised Adrien Victus. He supposed he shouldn't be, really. Anyone with her kind of experience was bound to be something… something mythical in their galaxy. Probably.

He considered what her work history would read like. Mentally, he went over what he knew of her, from intel reports, from Vakarian's endorsements and from his own brief interactions with her. "Completed the galaxy's toughest military training program - the N7, in one hundred and sixty seven days flat, less than a sixth of the average time it took to complete the program. (Damn, that was impressive. Victus had read reports of the training; it was so brutal even the Blackwatch respected those that received the commendation) The Butcher of Torfan. The first human Spectre. Savior of the Citadel. Destroyer of the Collectors. Stopped the genesis of a human Reaper. Destroyed the Alpha Relay to stop the Arrival."

There were several other less famous exploits, but no none of them were any less notable for their difficulty of execution. This woman had made a career out of doing the impossible. He suspected he wasn't the first to reach that conclusion. He could see why Garrus and the rest held her in such high regard.

He was brought out of his reverie by the Specialist who had been assigned to integrating and customizing his data-feeds so that he could keep up with the situation on Palaven. She seemed to have finished.

"It should be done, sir", she said.

She spoke in an accent that quite sounded different from Shepard.

"My thanks, Specialist…."

"Traynor, sir. Samantha Traynor."

"My thanks, Specialist Traynor."

"Quite welcome, sir. Though, you can just call me Sam if you like. Commander Shepard will be here with you shortly, though I believe it will only be a brief visit. I heard that she had an important mission to get done while she was around Palaven."

"Er, Specialist...Sam. You refer to Shepard as 'Commander'. She led me to believe that she refused a rank in the Alliance, and is working as a consultant?"

"I'd say she's a god-damn hero, sir. Only, it wouldn't be appropriate to call her that every moment of the day, would it. We wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for all she's done for us over the years. Her crew, too. People like Garrus Vakarian, Liara T'Soni, her little sister, Elisira, even Cerberus operatives like Miranda Lawson... Anyone who's ever served on her squads - they're all legends in our military. As to why we call her by her previous rank, it is probably because it fits, I suppose. She commandeers the Normandy, easily the most advanced warship in the galaxy, not just because of the ship herself, but also considering the combat squad on-board. The Commander tried correcting us at first, but gave up after a while and just let it go. Most of the crew weren't comfortable calling her by her name. Maybe, it's an Alliance thing? Anyway, it stuck. She's 'Commander' to the us, whether she likes it or not. Members of her squad have their own versions of address, though. Most of them just call her 'El', from what I've heard. But, none of us riff-raff are close enough to her to do that."

Samantha laughed as the Primarch himself chuckled.

Then, she took on a business-like tone as she said, "Now, I'd like to tell you how this works…"

Victus listened attentively as Traynor explained how he could get what he needed on the ship. She also gave him the communication codes to get in touch with Shepard, Garrus or she herself, when he was within the ship. She also gave him clearance to walk in and out of the war room, and promised to give him a tour later if he needed it, though she mentioned that Shepard would probably want to cover that herself.

Presently, she said she had work to catch up on, and to contact her if he needed anything. Victus nodded his thanks and set to work, familiarizing himself with the room and the information he could access.

After a time, Shepard entered the war room. She looked around and found the Primarch at one of the side terminals. Traynor had presumably linked the turian datafeeds for him there, so that he could keep track of the state of his brothers and sisters. He was a man who truly cared for his people.

Shepard walked up to him.

"So, Primarch, settling in?", she asked.

She was dressed in a hoodie and military slacks.

Victus was a bit taken aback by her clothing. He quickly hid his surprise, and pushed his mind to other matters. It was her ship after all. Damned if he was going to question this particular human. He wanted to avoid being on her bad side as far as possible.

"Yes, Commander. Thank you for providing me use of this room and for everything your specialist set up. I enjoyed chatting with her."

"Sam is quite capable. Tell her if you need anything else set up in here. We could think of only so much in such a short time. Well, I've actually the time to only say hello and welcome you aboard our little circus. There are some rather urgent duties I've to get squared away. So, I do not want to sound inhospitable, and I'm really itching to talk to you more, give you the tour, and all that...but that'll have to wait for a bit. Sorry if that looks like a slight, but please do believe me when I say I mean nothing by it."

She smiled apologetically.

"I understand completely, Commander. You're running this whole war effort for all of us. I can't begin to fathom how much more difficult your job is", said Victus, in a tone that he hoped would reassure her.

He understood the pressure she was under, and wasn't going to make her feel guilty over a trifling matter such as this. He wasn't a bloody politician, after all!

"I promise I'll be back soon, though. I'd like to hear more about your exploits", she said, smiling at him.

"Oh, I'm sure your stories are a lot more extraordinary", said Victus, laughing.

"Most of my missions were accomplished with small squads, and they still are. You've led armies into battle."

"You will, too. Soon enough. Garrus said that you're the only one who can unite them all. After what I've seen and read of you, I'm inclined to believe his judgement."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. I do sincerely hope that it won't be unfounded. And it means that I have a vested interest in talking to you more later, then. Nothing like learning from one of the best", she said.

Victus had to laugh again. "I certainly hope I can be of some assistance."

He thought for a bit, and said, "Actually, there is one pressing matter I'd like to discuss with you. It is of some urgency, and I might forget later, so I would like to get your thoughts on it. Like I said on Menae, I would honestly like to help you as much as possible, and to that end, if you would require any more operatives in your squad for your missions, I maybe able to offer you aid on that front. I couldn't personally help much, of course. I'm too old for your type of missions and even at my peak, I doubt I could have kept up. However, we do have dossiers on some of our very best that I can provide to you. If you so wish, I would be happy to transfer them to your command."

"That's a very kind offer, Primarch. Actually, I might have to take you up on that. I've my eye on just one particular operative, though", said Shepard.

"Who did you have in mind?"

"Actually, that's part of the reason I'm rushing at the moment. We have another extraction to do. I'll be taking the shuttle to Palaven for it. The Commander of a certain Turian Blackwatch squad is related quite closely to Garrus."

"Ah yes. His sister. Lieutenant Commander Solana Vakarian. She's one of our most talented."

"Yeah, she's the one. We'll be extracting her and Garrus' parents. I'll probably ask her to join my crew. Her skills will certainly be valuable on my missions. And if she agrees, then I may need your authorization."

"Yes. Most certainly. May I ask you whether this extraction is purely in the interests of your mission?"

Shepard considered Victus for a moment, and shrugged.

"I don't believe in being politically correct. I'm not going to start now, and I think you can handle an honest answer. So, let me give it to you. Garrus is a valued friend. He's like a brother to me. The man even tried to stop us from doing this, but I know my crew. We've also followed his little sister's exploits closely for a good while. I truly do believe that she could be a valuable addition to my team. But, I'm doing this more for Garrus' peace of mind. And this is something I'd do this for any one of my crew. They're all my family, some biologically, and others by association. I owe it to every one of them for having my back."

Victus was surprised by her frankness. "I appreciate the candor, Commander. It tells me a lot about your principles, when you're willing to sacrifice so much for your squadmates."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Primarch. Even if you did not mean it as such, I am not ashamed to admit that I'd do anything for my crew. They're all willing to walk into hell and back for me, and I will do every bit I can for them in return."

Shepard spoke with a curious intensity, similar to the way she'd spoken to the Primarch to convince him to leave Menae.

"Again, Commander, I apologize. Rest assured that I meant it as a compliment. It is a little difficult to convey signals native to our own species across races."

Shepard laughed. "You needn't tell me. I've had plenty of experience."

Victus laughed as well. Suddenly, Joker's voice boomed over the comm. "Shepard, Destination Palaven, ETA 15 minutes. Cortez is readying the shuttle. Who'd you like to get suited up?"

"Hmm, Garrus, EDI, and Javik on this one. Eli, as well. Better get Sumi along too, if she's up and about. Otherwise, I won't hear the end of it. She was pretty peeved that we were on Menae while she was napping. Ask Cortez to put in some heavy armaments. I have a feeling we'll need it."

"Understood. And, you sure about EDI, Commander."

"EDI has to answer that one."

"Joker's worries are unfounded, Shepard. This platform will be ready and waiting at the shuttle", chimed in the voice of the Normandy's AI.

"Understood, EDI. You heard the girl, Joker."

"Yes, Commander", said Joker, unable to hide the worry from his voice.

-0-

Solana Vakarian was not in a good mood. It may be a good time to toss in some information about her. It was commented by several high-ranking members of the Blackwatch that she was quite possibly the most talented infiltrator ever to have been inducted into its ranks. She had risen to the rank of Commander at the very young age of 23. Her battle style relied heavily on her enhanced customized optical camouflage cloak. She was a hand-to-hand specialist, and could slice most any enemy with her trusty modified omni-blade. She was a crack-shot with a pistol and a decent sniper. And there were also the remotely detonatable mines she favored carrying over grenades - unobtrusive, but quite destructive. She was not in a good mood because her left leg was broken.

Her brother had been appointed 'The Expert Advisor on the Reaper Forces' about a week prior, and she'd immediately made her way to the Helos Medical Institute to ensure the safe transport of her ailing mother to their estate in Palaven. The Institute was closing operations, its doctors were being reposted to various hospitals around the galaxy to aid the war effort. They'd arrived at their home just about ten hours before the Reapers started tearing into Palaven.

It had been two days since then. The casualty reports were staggering. Three million lost the first day. Five million the second. They'd been able to evade the Reaper troop patrols for the most part, thus far. The only one that had caught them had been dealt with, quite easily. Reaper troops resembling turians, humans and batarians (those were actually quite unrecognizable, she guessed they were batarian because they had four eyes) had made an appearance. They certainly looked bloody ugly, but still seemed to die if you stabbed them in the heart or sliced off their head, or put enough bullets into them. They didn't worry her over-much. The three had made their way to a safe-house. Basically, it was the cellar of their close family friend, Vernon Perillon. He was a General in the meritocracy, and was naturally away on duty. Her injury had been an unfortunate accident. Solana preferred not to think of it.

She'd been in intermittent contact with her brother. The last time they spoke had been about eight hours ago. He'd been inordinately excited.

He'd told her, "Shepard's here, Sol", like it was the official signal to start dancing and rejoicing.

The way Garrus spoke about the human, you'd think she was some sort of goddess. She'd soon see her in action, she supposed.

Garrus had gone on to say that she'd insisted on coming to Palaven to extract their family. Castis, their father, had protested, saying they were no more important than the others who were struggling to survive on Palaven. Garrus told him they were actually coming for Sol, since Shepard felt they could use her. They planned to drop Castis and his wife, Trianna, at the Citadel so they could him organize the turians in the refugee camps there. It irked Solana that she had possibly been used as a bargaining chip to secure the safety of her family. But at the end, all was fair in war times.

She heard a sudden noise above. Something large. Metallic feet possibly. Suddenly, the ceiling in the room adjacent to them caved in. Castis came over to help Solana into the large closet. Trianna sat beside her and Castis took his place at the other side. He closed the door. They remained as quiet as they could.

Another huge crash sounded. A loud thud in the adjacent room. Whatever had landed there, had been strong enough to break through the fucking ground. Shit! They were in trouble.

Solana and her parents dared not move. Suddenly, another crash sounded, and the wall at the far end of the room they were in, gave way. The dim light lit up a hulking monstrosity. It had a huge metal claw it used as a bludgeon. It broke more of the wall to give itself room to move in. It looked around menacingly. Its face looked a lot like the faces the turian Reaper troops had. It was attached by a length of thick metallic material to the rest of its body. More metallic plates covered large areas of its flesh.

Solana and her parents readied the weapons they had. Solana, a Carnifex hand cannon. Castis, an Avenger rifle. And Trianna, a Predator pistol. They would go down shooting at the very least. The brute paced menacingly toward the closet.

Suddenly, there was a blinding flash, and a mischievous laugh. Then, a figure came out of nowhere, and rammed into the monster. Solana could make out a biotic barrier protecting the newcomer. Then, as the figure fell downwards, the newcomer swivelled and used its hand to smash the ground with an incredible amount of biotic power. The monster, already off balance as a result of the ram, fell on its side.

Solana had gathered enough about the newcomer by then to recognize her as a human woman. An insane, rash, and biotically powerful human woman. She quickly got to her feet after her previous attack, and rushed toward the toppled enemy. As she made a running leap, Solana could make out blue biotic energy in the palm of her right hand. She crashed her right hand on what Solana supposed could be called the monster's neck, and snapped it. The head rolled away, and the monster stopped struggling. The woman then stood still, like she was listening for something.

"I can hear you in the closet. Open the door, and come out, slowly. I'm here to help."

Her voice had a ring of authority. She wasn't to be trifled with. Solana noticed that she wore something that looked like night-vision goggles.

Castis cautiously opened the closet door and clambered out. He still held the rifle.

"Ah, hello. Er, mind putting the rifle away, sir, at least for a bit? I don't want to start a shoot-out", the woman said.

She took off her head-piece and shook her head. Droplets of sweat flew around. Her scars seemed to glow an angry red in the dark. Obviously, she had had extensive cybernetic augmentation.

"Of course", said Castis. "I'll just help my wife and daughter out. My daughter will need treatment."

Another figure suddenly appeared at the woman's side. It was another human. She wore a hood over her head, and was dressed mostly in black. She had presumably been using an optical cloak previously. She had probably been the one who'd used the initial flash-bang to disorient the beast.

She kissed the first woman full on her lips, and said, "Nice job taking out that thing", admiringly.

The other female scratched her head and said, "Oh, it was nothing."

Presently, the first female addressed Bastian with a question, "Can they both walk?"

"My wife can. My daughter broke her leg."

"That sounds like them, Shep", said the second woman.

"It does, doesn't it", the woman called 'Shep' agreed. She fished a pack of cigarettes from somewhere. She offered one to the other human, who accepted. She lit both and took a long drag from hers as she waited for the Vakarians to gather.

Trianna had come out of the closet, and mother and father were attempting to get Sol to her feet. Her left leg was broken after all. It was proving more than a little difficult. Her father provided her support on the weak side.

"Er, are you the Vakarians? Solana, Trianna and Castis? Garrus' family?", asked the first woman.

"Yes, we are. I am Castis Bastian Vakarian", answered Castis. "You know our son?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm Elia Albarn Shepard of the SSV Normandy. Garrus is a long-time crewmate and, he is like a brother to me. My family. We've been through a lot. I've come here to extract all of you. I'll just inform the others that I've been able to locate you."

She spoke into her communicator, and said, "They're here. Javik, Garrus, EDI - converge on the landing zone. Kasumi, join Eli outside and keep an eye out. I'll see you in a bit."

The other woman, presumably called 'Kasumi' nodded and walked outside, still taking occasional drags from her dwindling cigarette.

"Thank you for coming", said Trianna.

Her voice was higher pitched than Garrus and Victus, but had the same flanging effect. She sounded tired, though.

"Least I could do for Garrus. I've dragged him into hell more times than I can care to count. And, he's decided to stay with me on the Normandy for this fight too." Shepard sighed happily and smiled at the three of them. "Always has my back."

"I suspect that it is where he belongs. Garrus never stayed in one place too long before he joined you. He fell apart when you disappeared. I happened to be talking to him when you reappeared too, you know. Sounded utterly downcast, ready to even die before that, and then magically revived a few moments later, and promised to make it to Palaven. He kept his promise too. I believe I have you to thank for that as well", said Castis.

"He always liked fighting. From what I understand, you get yourself into the biggest ones", commented Solana.

Shepard took another drag on her cigarette and exhaled.

"Not my intention. It's funny- a merc on Omega put it best. Things tend to explode around me. When I chased Saren, I never dreamed I'd find evidence of the Reapers. Three months after that, I almost died. Then, I wake up two years later, and everything had changed. After I woke up, Cerberus was the only party who believed me and was willing to do something about it. So I worked with them, and when I stormed the Collectors home world, I saw a Human Reaper embryo. I destroyed it and the Collectors. Then, I had to sacrifice all those people on Aratoht to stop the Reaper's arrival."

Shepard sighed loudly.

"None of this was just me, either. I had my squad backing me up at all times. The Normandy crew carries so many scars because of this damned war, and Javik even fought in the previous cycle! Sometimes, I wonder how we're able to keep going at it. All the bloodshed we've endured, and all the sacrifices we've made. It's such a fucked up mess, and all we can do is hope that it was worth it." Elia shook her head sadly.

"The measure of an individual is difficult to discern from their actions alone, Commander. It's a famous drell philosophy...And from what I've gathered about you, you take what you believe is the best course. You don't give a flying fuck if people don't agree with it. You take on odds no one else would ever dream of considering, and your squads back you every step of the way. To top it all off, the galaxy is relying on you and your friends, including our son, to lead us out of this nightmare, and to be the heroes it so desperately needs once more", said Trianna.

Shepard looked at Trianna, stunned.

"The decisions you make...I cannot even begin to image the weight they will carry. They will haunt you, forever. It is a burden that you and your squad have been forced to bear. It is probable that you are the only ones who can. Unfortunately or fortunately, it is the way of the world."

"Why so stunned, Commander?", remarked Castis.

"I fear everyone expects too much of me", said Shepard, haltingly.

"That's your fault completely. Garrus talked of how he'd never seen anyone fight like you. Made you out to be some kind of goddess. He once tried to describe one of your fights. What I got was that you charged a Geth Colossus and broke its neck off? I laughed so hard that he couldn't finish the story. It was just so incredible. Now, I'll need to admit that big brother was probably telling the truth."

"Well, it did happen, if my word means anything. But, what changed your mind?", asked Shepard.

"You come in here, charge a monster twice the size of a yahg, covered in metal plates, and literally beat it to death with your bare hands. I'd say if you're insane enough to try something like that, and powerful enough to actually pull it off, then it's quite possible a Colossus could have also faced the same fate at your hands."

"Oh, that thing? I took out three or four of its friends at Menae. Garrus and Vega got them a few times, but Eli and I had to do most of the heavy lifting." Shepard put her ear to the communicator.

After a few moments, she said, "We need to move out. There are some hostiles nearby, so we will need to keep an eye out. Possibly a big Reaper unit approaching."

Suddenly, something seemed to occur to her.

"Er, you had a broken leg, right. You need me to be carry you?"

Solana stared at her in disbelief.

"Umm, turians are rather heavy, Commander", said Castis, carefully.

Shepard waved his doubt away.

"Oh no need to worry about that. I've carried turians, krogan, asari, even a varren. What I mean to say is, I'm pretty damn strong."

"Er, okay. In that, case it'll definitely be faster than supporting her along."

"Okay. How are you for thermal clips, sir?"

"Please. Call me Castis. It's hardly becoming for me to be called 'sir' by you, of all people. I'm fine for now, though. Should have enough to provide covering fire for a while."

"Good. Mrs. Vakarian, can you handle an N7 Valkyrie? It's much easier to provide covering fire with an assault rifle rather than a pistol."

"Trianna, please. I've never heard of the gun you mentioned."

"Oh, damn it. Course you haven't. It's a prototype. Er, its heavier than an Avenger, so if you two could switch…"

"I was one of the founding members of the Blackwatch, Commander. I believe I can handle the weight", said Trianna, a trifle haughtily.

"Oh, all right. No offence intended" Shepard held up her arms peaceably.

She took the assault rifle off her back and handed it to Trianna carefully.

"Here you are. I suggest practising on the wall or something. Get your bearings. Here are some thermal clips. And I heard you were sick. So, please don't over-strain yourself. Garrus would kill me otherwise."

"Understood, ma'am. I will be in the next room, awaiting your command."

Shepard nodded, then turned her attention to Solana. "You can rest for a while. I'll need to finish this", she said, indicating her half-smoked cigarette. She leaned with her back to the wall and took a long drag from it, flicking the ashes that had collected at its end.

Solana commented, "We can't smoke, you know. I've heard though, that it's supposed to be bad for you?"

Shepard nodded. "Yeah, it isn't good for your health. But, if I actually did care about my health, I wouldn't be doing this, would I? Plus, it's a neuro-stimulant, increases your alertness, and well, it's rather addictive."

"Fair point."

"So, that other woman, was she..."

"My lover, girlfriend, significant other, whatever you want to call it...her name's Kasumi, and she's my most important person."

"Ahh, I see." Something seemed to occur to Solana.

"Er, I should apologize, actually. I didn't mean to pry..."

Elia laughed. "Please, it's quite all right. I mean, she did come and kiss me full on the lips in front of you all. Some people back on Earth actually criticize the fact that I'm queer. Being with other women...No chance to reproduce naturally, you know."

Solana seemed surprised. "It doesn't really signify in the case of us turians. Why? Is this a problem in human culture?"

"Nah, its just that I happen to be me, you know, one of the greatest humans to have ever lived and all that jazz...the fact that my genes won't live on in an annoying little brat causes grief for some more religious factions. Idiots, if you ask me...like I have a reason to care what they or anyone else think. The only people who matter to me are my crew and my pets."

Elia laughed merrily.

"I see...also, I heard you refer to an 'Eli' and 'Edi'. Are they different people?"

"Ah yes, they are. Eli is my little sister. Short for Elisira. EDI is a sentient AI. She's part of my squad and also helps us control the ship."

Solana's eyes grew wide with astonishment.

"You have a little sister called Elisira? Funny...I knew a human girl called Eli once. Looked a lot like you, come to think of it. And you mentioned an AI? Is it unshackled?"

Elia nodded. "Yes, I do have a little sister. And damn, I knew I was on to something. No time to explain right now. Anyway, she's three years my junior and I've loved her to bits ever since the day I met her about fifteen years ago. I will protect her until the end of my days and destroy anyone who'd dare hurt her. And to the second part of your question - yes, EDI is an unshackled AI. She is her own person, and a very close friend of mine."

She finished her cigarette and stubbed it out. She then produced a can of beer from somewhere about her person, opened it and chugged it in one gulp. Solana watched on with interest.

"That felt good."

"You normally try to get stoned before fighting."

"Before, during and after, dear girl", said Shepard, smirking. "It's the only way to be."

She seemed to consider something, then shrugged and produced another can of beer. She opened that one and chugged it down as well.

Solana could not keep the surprise from her eyes.

Shepard said, somewhat defensively, "What? There's booze back on the shuttle, and I figured I might as well drink all the stuff I have on me right now. Probably no more stops on the way."

So saying, she crushed both the empty cans and tossed them away.

She tried to reassure Solana. "Okay, I'm ready. And don't worry about the drinking and smoking thing. I'm barely buzzed, you can ask Garrus about my exploits at Omega's bar if you want."

Solana nodded.

"Cool! Let's get prepared. You good with an SMG? Using an slow-firing pistol like the Carnifex when you'll be jolted around isn't the best idea."

"Okay, what do you have in mind."

"This", said Elia, showing her a… Spirits, that was a Kassa Locust!

"That's a Locust, isn't it", said Solana, excitedly.

Shepard smiled proudly, and said, "The one and only original. Got it on a heist. Kasumi played me for it, and lost. I got to keep it for myself. Made several copies for the rest of the squad, though."

She handed it to Solana. "Still, this IS the original. And, it's mine. Don't go getting ideas that I might give it to you. I've been through too much with that gun."

"I understand perfectly, Commander."

"Shepard carefully picked her up on her left side. She got up and balanced the weight the best she could, keeping her left arm tightly around Solana's middle. She armed her Paladin in her right hand, and then created a biotic barrier to protect Solana.

"You okay."

"A little uncomfortable, but nothing I can't manage."

"Good. This is only for a little while."

She walked into the next room, where Trianna was coming to terms with the Valkyrie. Castis looked on quietly.

"Okay, do you feel comfortable using that rifle?"

"Comfortable enough. Are we leaving?"

"Yes. Okay, here's how we go. The shuttle's about a mile away. Kasumi and Eli are currently right outside. Sol and I will be the weakest link, so we'll push ahead with two people covering ahead of us. The other two will follow behind. Javik, EDI and Garrus should be waiting further up. Got it?"

Bastian and Trianna nodded. "Okay, let's go."

They made their way up the stairs, to the front of the General's house. Kasumi and Elisira were waiting on the street. Kasumi looked up as they approached, smirking mischievously when she saw Shepard carrying Solana.

She walked over, kissed her girlfriend again, and said, "Like I said, El. Reaper unit down the road. They're searching houses. That big brute must have been a straggler. We spotted a lot of the turian and batarian things."

"Okay, looks like we need to make a dash for it. Palaven's streets ain't safe. Before that, I'd like to introduce Solana and Elisira."

"Oh. Alright, just a moment", asked Elisira, putting the safety on her weapon and coming over to take a closer look at the turian girl her older sister was carrying.

"Wait...It's you!", exclaimed both of them at the same time.

Then, looking at Elia, Elisira said, "But how...Did you know it was the same person?"

Elia shook her head. "No, I didn't. But I did guess. Truth be told, I was surprised that you didn't think the same thing. Turian Blackwatch Delta Squad Two? Sol may have been short for Solana. Didn't it even cross your mind?"

Elisira shook her head. "No...it never struck me."

Turning back to Solana, she smiled and said. "Well, Sol. Nice to meet you after all this time."

"Likewise, Eli. I don't know what to think, to be honest. But, I hope we can catch up later."

Elisira nodded. "Count on it. My big sister never fails, ever."

Elia smiled and said, "Alright, guys. Reunions complete, here is the plan. Sumi dear, you're on my four thirty. Trianna, on my eight. Castis and Eli, you guys can bring up the rear. Keep an eye out for any movement at all times."

"Understood", everyone chorused.

Shepard nodded. "Let's go."

Solana was surprised at Shepard's speed despite carrying her. More surprised at how she wasn't being jolted all that much. Something to do with the protective barrier she was maintaining?

They encountered no real resistance for a while - just a few small patrols here and there. Small enough that they quickly and quietly dealt with them. Soon, they came to a field. There was a noise in the bushes nearby. A figure emerged.

"Shepard, is that you?", a familiar voice said.

"Javik, yes. You can relax. We got them out safely."

"Good. I would suggest guiding them to the shuttle. We must hold off the harvester."

Shepard looked at him, brow furrowed. A noise sounded behind them. It was Garrus. He ran over to them.

"Ah, thanks for keeping them safe, guys."

He greeted his father and mother and hugged them joyfully.

He looked around, spied Solana on Shepard's shoulder, and went over to flick her nose playfully. Solana reacted angrily, but Garrus jumped out of reach. Solana snarled.

"Er, Sol. You mind not squirming too much." Shepard sounded amused.

Solana subsided, grumbling, and satisfied herself with a murderous glare at Garrus.

His fun over, Garrus told the rest, "Shepard, Cortez spotted a harvester on long range scanner. He said it was headed to this position. It'll be here soon."

There was another noise to their left, as EDI's humanoid platform joined them. "Hello El. There was a Reaper unit patrolling this area. I suggest we make haste."

Shepard took in all this information and thought for a while.

"Hmm. Look, Cortez has the turrets on-board the shuttle. A few rocket launchers and other heavy weapons. Instead of dragging ourselves into a ground battle we'll probably have to bug out from anyway, you think we can make a break for it now? We'll launch a few rockets, throw the unit off track. Keep the harvester off with the turret."

Everyone considered this in silence.

"Big sis is right", said Elisira, eventually.

"It does seem like a sound plan", agreed Kasumi.

"I would tend to agree", added Javik.

"I believe that the course suggested by Shepard has a higher probability of success with a much lower usage of our resources. In addition, Shepard is hardly ever wrong."

"I suppose that's our best shot at this", said Garrus.

"Okay, it's decided then. Let's move to the shuttle", said Shepard.

They made their way to the top of the hill, and behind the rocks where Cortez had parked the shuttle. He hadn't moved, so they quickly made their way inside.

Shepard carefully placed Solana beside Cortez in the front seat. "Steve, make sure she's okay. I'm counting on you."

Cortez nodded and said, "Understood, ma'am."

Shepard went back out and told Trianna to make sure Solana didn't aggravate her injury. Trianna acquiesced and made her way to the front as well. Shepard pushed the turret out and sat at the controls.

"The rest of you, grab your weapon of choice. EDI, Cortez, keep an eye on that harvester. We need to make sure we aren't shot down! Also, hang on to something, everyone. It's probably going to be a real bumpy ride!"

Elisira called out, "Cortez, we're ready to go."

"Understood." The shuttle took off.

"Fire at will. Reaper unit approaching."

Shepard started firing off her turret. Garrus fired off two rockets from the launcher he'd appropriated, and Kasumi a series of grenades from her weapon. Cortez put distance in between them and the ground.

They took a breather. "Where's the harvester?"

EDI replied. "It is approaching on our eight."

Shepard looked around, trying to spot it. Suddenly, it appeared into view with a dreadful, piercing shriek.

"Let's go. Concentrate fire."

Shepard turned her turret around and started firing. Garrus and Kasumi followed suit with their respective launcher weapons. Javik seemed to have found himself a rocket launcher as well, and he joined the fray. Elisira sat herself at the other turret and fired as well. Moments later they heard the harvester make its final cry, and disintegrate with a huge blast of red energy. Shepard turned. "EDI, any other hostiles?"

"None in the immediate area."

"Okay, Cortez. Get us to the Normandy ASAP. Don't want another bird to get a sniff."

"Aye, aye."

Shepard withdrew the turret and closed the shuttle door. She went over to a cooler in the shuttle and retrieved a large bottle of sake. She'd developed a taste for it, especially since she'd gotten together with Kasumi. It was her favoured poison, being of Japanese origin.

"Help yourselves", she announced, before taking her place on one of the shuttle benches.

Garrus and Javik got up to retrieve some alcohol for themselves. Garrus got himself some dextro-ale, and Javik got himself a bottle of wine (Since his empire was destroyed, he could not be punished with death for his actions any more). Kasumi helped herself to another of the sake bottles, while Elisira got herself a bottle of akantha. Castis sat tight, slightly surprised at the scene around him. Getting drunk while on a shuttle back to the ship wasn't something the military used to do in his time. Either the times had changed drastically, or Shepard didn't really run her vessel military style. He suspected it was the latter.

Shepard sat between Elisira and Kasumi. On the opposite side sat Castis, Garrus, EDI and Javik. Shepard raised her bottle, said, "Cheers to a mission well done, and to many more like it" and opened it.

Everyone else raised their bottles, chorusing, "Cheers!", before opening them.

Elia gulped down about a quarter of her sake before stopping to take a breath. The rest (save EDI and Castis) followed.

Javik suddenly spoke up. "Elder Shepard, is it true that you keep pets in your cabin?"

He'd taken to calling Elia 'Elder Shepard' as he was still uncomfortable calling her by her given name. Elisira was 'Younger Shepard', naturally.

Elia was surprised at the question. "Yes, Javik. I Have currently got a space hamster and a load of different fishes, complete with a VI to manage them."

Kasumi and Garrus snorted. Shepard looked at each in turn, questioningly.

Garrus stated, "Yeah. I was with you at the time. You bought a VI to take care of your fish, instead of a top of the line prototype shotgun."

"Well, I don't really use shotguns much, and Tali hasn't joined up with us yet. Besides, I've had way too many fish die on me because I didn't have the time to look after them. They need so much maintenance, it isn't even funny! That VI was a damned good purchase. It looks after them well and ensures no more of them die due to my negligence."

"El obsesses about her fish almost as much as her model collection. I should know", said Kasumi, smiling mischievously, unconsciously taking Elia's free hand.

"What? We all need hobbies, right?", said Elia, rather defensively.

"Yeah, and you seem to have a lot of them, big sis. Let's see - video games, old fantasy books, pets, models, saving the galaxy…", commented Elisira.

"Which reminds me. Where the hell is that copy of 'Dragon Age: The Inquisition' that you promised Eli and me, Vakarian? I'd call this mission an unqualified success", asked Elia.

"Oh, I left it in your room. Have fun!", said Garrus.

"Hey, I got that, Vakarian! Don't take the credit for getting something you're just giving over to my own girls", said Kasumi, rather indignantly.

"Well, I did trade you a copy of that romance novel for it", shot back Garrus.

"The Lord of the Rings is not a romance novel, dude. At the very least, know something about what you traded", said Kasumi, exasperatedly.

"Well, yeah, I don't read books like that. And the sisters have been searching for a copy of that game for a good while."

"I didn't know. I just filched it off that video game store in the Citadel once. Come to think of it, this particular one was surprisingly well hidden."

"Sumi dear, I'd be careful who you say that around. Garrus' dad was formerly a C-Sec officer. A rather famous detective at that", put in Elia, smirking at her mischievously.

Kasumi went red and said, "Oh...err, okay. Can we all forget what I just said."

Castis laughed. "Oh, I'm not with them any more, so you need not worry yourself on that count. And even if I'd wanted to run you in for some reason, I doubt even the entire C-SEC force would have wanted to go up against you and the Normandy squad. It wouldn't be a fair fight for us."

Garrus put in, "For what it's worth, Dad, I'd only use concussive rounds."

"I'm sure C-Sec would have thanked you for your sentimentality, son. Though I really think they'd have preferred it if you'd offered to sit the fight out instead."

"That'd never happen. If someone goes after anyone on this squad, they're wrong. No process needed to determine that", said Garrus.

Castis laughed. "For once, I might have to agree, son." He turned to Elia. "This does not mean that I approve of Spectres, of course. Look at Saren. You guys are too powerful as these stateless entities beholden to almost no one."

Shepard nodded. "It is a very fair point. As far as Saren is concerned, I pity him more than I hate him or anything. I do loathe him somewhat because he was weak, and gave in to the Reapers. Then again, indoctrination is something that is difficult to grasp. He probably thought he couldn't be controlled because he believed he was strong, and that he was the one making the choices. That was his downfall. Though the reports I've read of him suggested that his actions were questionable even before that. Once upon a time, I might have called him a monster. But now, I really don't know. He honestly seemed to believe what he did was for the greater good. Looking at what I've done, I realize that I've also made a lot of similar choices. Maybe we aren't that different after all?"

Castis fancied that he saw a flicker of uncertainty in Elia.

Garrus cleared his throat, and said, "That's bullshit and you know it. Saren made those choices when he had better ones open to him. You made those choices because there was no other option. There's a world of difference in that. He decided that submitting to the Reapers was the only way to survive, the only way we could live. You decided exactly the opposite of that - you wouldn't give in, and you fought it with every fiber of your being. Saren was weak. You are not. If someone was to take an impartial look at your histories, they'd realize that there was a huge difference between the two of you. He lacked the greatness, the determination, and the grit that sets you apart from everyone else. Most of all, he lacked your leadership skills. He lacked the spark that you had...the ability to assemble what could best be described as a ragtag crew of misfits, and mould them into a combat squad, each one of whom are now considered legends in every part of the known galaxy."

During the course of this, Kasumi had put her hand around Elia and begun to rock her comfortingly. Elisira had also entwined her hand with her sister's, to signify that she was available as well, should support be required. Both shot grateful looks at Garrus.

Castis added, "I rarely ever agree with my son. However, in this case, I believe that he has, what do you humans say… hit the hammer on the nail?"

"Nail on the head, not hammer on the nail, sir", said Elisira, laughing.

Castis nodded and amended, "My apologies. He has hit the nail on the head."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence. Let's hope it isn't unfounded", said Elia, unconsciously burrowing closer into Kasumi's comforting embrace, and squeezing her little sister's hand.

Kasumi supported her happily, hugging Elia tighter with her left arm, and leaning her head against Elia's, with Elisira leaning against the other side.

Elia tended to do this a lot - Kasumi and Elisira represented safety, warmth and security to her. Whenever things got too heavy, they'd just cuddle up and ride it out, together. Each offered the other a reason to live, and in a galaxy that seemed to keep getting darker, those lifelines could just not be ignored.

"You know; if this goes south, we could freeze you like they froze Javik, and let the next cycle find you. Then you'd go from being merely legendary to mythical", commented Garrus.

"They'd have to freeze you all too. Need my squad backing me up. Javik can give us tips to pass the time", said Elia.

"Actually, to me, it didn't feel like anything more than a short nap. I was speaking to Victory and fell asleep. Suddenly, I saw you and your sister staring down at me, and I realized how much time had passed", put in Javik.

"I wouldn't need freezing. I could perform the role Victory performed. Watch over you and make sure all of you were safe. And collect data that could be useful to our future success", commented EDI.

They continued drinking, and discussing the finer points of their plan to put themselves into cryogenic stasis and wake up the next time the Reapers came, until the shuttle reached the Normandy.

Castis wondered if he had somehow entered a mad-house.

As they were disembarking, he took his son aside, and asked him, "Er, Garrus, is it always like this on the ship?"

Garrus laughed heartily at his father's discomfort. "Feels unreal, doesn't it? Need some way to relieve all the stress, Dad. Talking about nothing in particular is rather effective. Takes your mind off things. You should listen in on our comm channel during missions. It will certainly give you a few laughs, at the very least."

Castis nodded, unsure.

Elia was at the elevator. She called out, "Garrus, ask James for help with getting your sis to Dr. Chakwas. Javik, EDI, you're both dismissed. Sumi, please provide Liara with the intel we got on Palaven during the mission. And Eli, could you see to it that Miranda gets all the new information we collected on the Reaper troops? After that, you might want to come down to the med bay to check on Sol."

After sending all the squad on their way, she finally turned to Garrus' parents. "Mr and Mrs. Vakarian, welcome to the Normandy. To give you a short introduction, I'm Elia Albarn Shepard, the commanding officer of the ship, Garrus is my XO. Dr. Liara T'Soni is the intelligence specialist, Kasumi Goto, whom you've met, is our electronics expert, and Miranda Lawson handles our mobile research office, along with my little sister Elisira Noel. Please follow Garrus to the med-bay for the time-being. I'll need to give your Primarch, Adrien Victus, the tour too, so I'll be along later, and we can go together. If you need anything, please let Garrus or Dr. Chakwas at the med-bay know. Sorry if I'm being rude, but I'll need to cut this short. I have to put a call through to Urdnot Wrex, and invite him to speak as the krogan representative to the summit."

"Apologies are unnecessary, Commander. You saved our lives. We will be with our daughter", said Bastian.

Shepard nodded and smiled. "I'll see you later, then."

-0-

"She…." said a blurred image at the other end. There was a lot of static.

"EDI, can you clear this up?", asked Elia.

"I will do my best", replied EDI.

The image cleared up a lot in a few seconds. Shepard could see her old squad mate and long-time friend, Urdnot Wrex, the leader of all the krogan clans, at the other end of the QEC. Officially of Clan Urdnot, he had been busy the past two years or so, uniting all the different krogan clans and factions under one banner, and himself rising to become the de-facto ruler of them.

"Shepard, can you hear me?", he asked.

"Sure can, Wrex. How about you?", replied Elia.

"Clear enough. So, how has the fighting been so far?"

"Pretty intense, Wrex. Seems like everywhere I go, something's out to get me."

"Yeah, I don't doubt it. Some things never really change, eh? And you are the biggest threat they've faced in several million years. Grunt told me some bits of what that Reaper leader did, what was his name…Harbinger? Yeah, he showed us all the vids. Seems like you pissed them off pretty badly!" Wrex laughed loudly.

"You could say that, Wrex", said Elia, giving Wrex her trademark lopsided smirk.

Wrex guffawed again.

"Well, I've been expecting a call for a while, El. Garrus, Liara, Miranda, Kasumi, Grunt - everyone really...we've all being getting more and more antsy waiting for you to turn up. Good thing you did, at long last."

"Yeah, Alliance procedures, Wrex. Couldn't risk an inter-species war before the real one...You know how it is."

"Yeah. All too well."

"That aside, let's get down to business, Wrex. I'd like to introduce the turian Primarch, Adrien Victus."

Victus appeared onscreen next to Elia, said "Good day, Adrien Victus at your service", and saluted.

Wrex saluted back. "And Urdnot Wrex at yours."

"I hope we can help each other, Wrex, though Shepard has already warned me that you will drive a hard bargain."

"I have heard of you, Primarch, and I admire your record. I would like to say at the outset that, even though we face a threat that has destroyed a countless civilizations before us, ours is going to survive. Our civilization will endure. The previous cycles did not have the woman standing next to you leading them...But, we do. And she will make the difference for us. I have no doubt. I have personally fought alongside her, and in nearly a millenium of living, I have not come across anyone like her. She truly is a goddess of war."

Elia reddened slightly at the praise. "I do hope your faith is not unfounded, Wrex. We're having a summit, to build alliances for the war against the Reapers. It will be attended by Dalatrass Linron of the Salarian Union, and Primarch Victus, who'll be speaking for the Turian Hierarchy. I'll be representing the Human Alliance, though I'm technically just consulting. The Primarch and I also speak for the Vol Protectorate, and the Elcor Military. In addition, I've also been given leave to speak for the Hanar Illuminacy, and many other groups who have allied with our cause. We'd like to extend you an invitation and be part of this summit."

"I'd be happy to attend as the representative of the krogan peoples. However, may I note that the asari, and the quarians and geth seem to be curiously absent."

"Yes, it is a delicate situation, Wrex. For the moment, the asari are remaining on the sidelines. We don't have intel to comment on the quarian-geth situation yet."

"I see."

Elia shook her head. "It's a definite problem, but they can't remain non-committal forever. Soon enough, they will help us. In any case, we'll come in to pick you up on Tuchanka in the Normandy. Will that be satisfactory?"

"Sure. What's your ETA?"

"Within 2 solar days."

"I look forward to it. Goodbye, Elia, Primarch. I certainly hope we can help each other and get through this."

"Thanks. And goodbye, Wrex", said Victus and Shepard, together.

After the line had been cut, the Primarch and Shepard walked to the war room together.

"Something puzzles me, Commander. It seemed like Wrex was expecting the call", said the Primarch, as they were walking out.

Shepard turned and smiled at the Primarch. "Well, I've known this war was coming for a long time, Primarch. And as you may know, Wrex was with me when I took out Saren and met Nazara. He is an old and treasured friend, and you might have guessed as much when he addressed me by my first name. It was never going to be easy getting everyone on board, working together. So, I laid the groundwork in advance, wherever I could. For you two, the issue will be to get past old grudges and past animosities…."

Shepard ruffled her hair.

Victus said, "Well, he agreed to the summit. That's a positive step."

"I'll get everyone working together whether they like it or not. I have to", said Shepard, her voice hardening somewhat.

"I don't doubt it. I do hope I don't have any major disagreements with you. Mostly for the sake of my health."

Shepard grinned at the Primarch. "So, Primarch. Ready for the grand tour of the Normandy?"

"That sounds nice, Commander."

"We'll just get Garrus' parents from the med-bay first. I promised them a tour as well."

"Most certainly. Castis and Trianna are both close personal friends of mine. I'm happy that they are well."

Shepard and Victus made their way down to the med-bay. Garrus, his parents and Solana were all there. Solana was on the operating table, being tended to by Dr. Chakwas. It seemed like the doctor was finished.

"How does it look, doc?"

"Nothing a bone weave isn't capable of fixing. I'd recommend that she rest for three days, while it heals. You can talk to her now- I only needed to use a local anaesthetic. She'll need pain medication in an hour or so."

"Thank you so much, doctor. We are in your debt", said Trianna.

"Just doing my job here. Oh, and before I forget...you'll be here for a while, Mrs. Vakarian. Better get used to the med-bay."

"Errr...why exactly?"

"Professor Mordin Solus passed me your medical files. And a shipment of your medication was already delivered to my med-bay. We will continue your treatment until such time you are on this ship. After that, I will personally ensure that you are placed in the care of one Dr. Fraelik, currently of the Huerta Memorial Hospital. Mordin tells me he was one of the best at Helos before they evacuated the medical specialists there, to help the war effort. Praise from Dr. Solus is very rare, let me tell you!"

Trianna's face fell, almost comically.

"Aww, don't be like that, Mum. You get to keep me company", said Solana.

"Thank you, doctor. Forgive my wife's rudeness; it's just that she doesn't like doctors very much, having spent much of the last 3 years in a hospital", said Castis.

"I can imagine. We do tend to be all dreary and dull", said Dr. Chakwas, laughing. "I'll be in the mess hall if anything comes up."

As the doctor was going out, Elisira came in.

"Hi, everyone", she said, looking around.

"Ah, Eli. Glad to see you here. Grab any seat that's free."

Elia glanced over at Solana. "Well, Sol, you okay?", she asked.

"Yeah. I closed my eyes through most of it. Hate needles, scalpels, any sort of medical instrument." Solana shuddered.

"Join the club", said Elia, laughing.

Something seemed to occur to Primarch Victus. "Ah yes, Commander. Would you like me to transfer Lieutenant Vakarian to your command?"

"Like I said when I made the request, it depends completely on LC Vakarian, Primarch. She certainly would be a valuable addition, but let's face it, being around me is tempting fate. Every mission brief that gets sent to me, comes to me only because no one else can or will take it on. I don't make a habit of asking people to be a part of my squad. I can't force them to take that risk."

"And once they join, you can't get them to leave", added Garrus, chuckling.

Everyone laughed at that.

Elia turned to address Solana directly. "Sol, if you want to be a part of the Normandy, there's a place for you here. However, it's entirely your decision, and there will be no hard feelings if you don't want to join up with our ragtag crew of bloodthirsty warmongers."

All eyes in the room were on Solana.

She considered for a time, before she finally said, "It's an honor that I'd be considered good enough to be a part of this crew. A part of what is easily the most accomplished squad in the galaxy, under the woman whom everyone rightly believes, is probably the only hope we have of surviving this war. The legends that served here are well known in every nook and cranny of our galaxy...and some of the known operations you guys have carried out are present in the training manuals of every special advanced military program worth mentioning...And somehow, you seem to make incredible things happen out of thin air. I've been able to see Elisira again, and I'd given up hope of ever meeting her in my lifetime."

She fell silent, and then went on after a while. "However, I'd like to know what you and my brother and the rest were up to in the past three years or so. I want details. About you, the one who's leading this war effort. About G, the brother I can hardly recognize now. Even my parents deserve to know. So, if I'm going to join your squad, I'll need to know all of it."

There was silence in the room. Elia then sighed, and said, "A valid request."

She fished out a cigarette and lit it before placing it down on the table. Elisira helped herself to one as well.

Elia took a drag on hers, exhaled, and began. "About what I did before I met Garrus, before I became a Spectre...I'll have Liara give you access to old mission reports, debriefs, whatever you need. I'll also answer any questions that you might have. I know that I've made several interesting choices, but I will field any query you have honestly, and provide full details as to what the situation was, and why I acted in a specific way. As to what happened after Garrus came along - I believe that's what you're most interested in...and it's a really long story. We'll have to be here a while if I need to tell it."

"Actually, Commander. I'd like to hear it too", said Victus. "If you have some free time, then I'd be honoured to listen to how this all came about."

"As will we. We have heard only bits of it from Garrus", said Castis, indicating himself and his mate, Trianna.

Shepard considered for a moment, then sighed. "All right. Might as well make ourselves comfortable. Garrus, Eli, you'll need to fill in any bits I miss out."

"Of course, El", said Garrus and Eli together, taking their places next to her.

So, for the next hour or three, Shepard talked about how she took down Saren - the events on Therum, Noveria, Feros, Virmire, meeting Sovereign, the death of Ashley Williams, the journey through the mu-relay to Ilos, about Vigil, the Conduit prototype relay, the events on the Citadel, and finally, the destruction of the first Reaper, the supposed vanguard of their destruction, Nazara or Sovereign, caused by the downfall of Saren's monstrous form. Elisira then went on to relate how her sister had almost died over Alchera when the old Normandy was attacked and destroyed by the Collectors, and how she had been incapacitated for two long years as Project Lazarus, headed by Miranda and funded by Cerberus, rebuilt her, and how they'd commenced their mission to investigate the activities of the Collectors, specifically their abduction of humans in colonies on the fringes of Citadel space. Garrus then explained his sojourn on Omega, his alter ego, Archangel, his activities and victories, and his ultimate downfall. He talked about how he was close to death, but was saved miraculously by Elia and her squad. Elia then went on with the story, telling them how she gathered a team of talented specialists to stop the Collecters, with several snippets of the adventures they had. She talked of Horizon, the Collector Ship, the derelict Reaper, Legion, his revelations about Geth and how he'd become a valued member of their squad, the Collector ship attack, the crew's abduction, and their subsequent journey that many considered a suicide mission through the Omega-4 Relay, and the Normandy crew's successful rescue with no one left behind. Shepard talked about Harbinger, the human Reaper embryo, the destruction of the Collector home world, and the Normandy's dissociation from Cerberus. She then went on to detail her actions in regard to the Alpha Relay incident, the destruction of Aratoht, her subsequent orders to each of her former crew, and her so-called arrest at the hands of the Alliance, where she'd never stood trial, and spent most of her time providing information on the oncoming invasion, gathering allies, and suggesting ways to prepare for it. Then, the more recent stories, the recovery of the Prothean device blueprints on Mars, Cerberus' offensive against them, the meeting with the unhelpful-as-always Council and their retrieval of Victus, the new Primarch, on Menae. She took particular pleasure in shredding the good Councilor Sparatus' image at every available opportunity. Garrus smirked to himself each time she tore into him. He hated the the man as much as she did.

Elia stopped, and indicated that the story was done. Solana came out of her trance. She'd been so engrossed in the story that she'd not felt the stabbing pains up her left leg.

"Ah, damn it. This is painful", she cried.

Elisira looked at the time. "It's been three hours. Wonder why the doctor didn't come in. I'll get her to give you your pain meds."

The younger Shepard sister found Dr. Chakwas easily enough and came back to the med-bay with her.

"I was surprised you didn't realize earlier. The Shepards and Garrus here must be really good at telling stories", she commented, smiling wryly.

She administered the pain medication and Solana found herself feeling much better.

"Thank you", she said.

Dr. Chakwas nodded. "If you need anything else, I'll be in the mess hall."

After she left, everyone looked over at Solana, expectantly. The question Elia had asked her still hung in the air.

Solana solemnly saluted from her bed and said, "Commander Elia Shepard, if you'll have me, I'm staying here. I will fight by your side, protect our friends, and follow you to any hell you deem necessary."

Shepard smiled and walked up to Solana. She held out her hand. "Welcome aboard, LC Solana Vakarian. Good to have you on the team. And please, I have no military rank. Call me Elia or Shepard. Anything but my middle name."

Solana took Shepard's proffered hand and shook it firmly.

Then, Shepard turned to Primarch Victus and Mr. and Mrs. Vakarian. "Well, if you're still up for it, we can have that tour. Garrus and Eli can watch over Sol and make sure she doesn't get up to any mischief."

"Of course, Commander", replied Victus. Garrus' parents nodded as well.

"If you'll follow me." Elia led the three turians out of the med-bay, giving her sister a knowing smile as she left her and Garrus alone with Solana.

Garrus walked over and sat on the chair beside Solana's bed. He considered her for a moment, and started laughing.

"What?", asked Solana, a trifle indignantly.

"You don't know what you've let yourself in for, Sol. I've been with both Shepard sisters a really long time. Each time I think the older one can get no crazier, she proves me wrong. She is hopelessly insane, but she just seems to infect everyone around her with her insanity and that actually makes our missions fun, in a way. You'll see that soon enough, though. Ask Eli if you don't believe me."

"I've seen some evidence of it. She literally brawled with one of those big Reaper monsters."

"A brute? Big, metal plates everywhere, heavy arm it swings around?"

Solana nodded.

"Ha, there were four of them at the camp we got the Primarch out of. Vega and I dealt with one, and El and Eli took the other three out. Victus could barely believe his eyes."

"I got the feeling she was extremely reckless."

"An understandable but misleading impression. I've seen her long enough to know that she is extremely calculated, even if it isn't very obvious. She's deliberate, manipulative, cold, and ruthless. She takes a lot of risks, but they never fail to pan out. Frankly, I've never seen a better tactician or stronger warrior in the galaxy."

Solana considered. "She has some serious ability. I'd say she was pretty powerful even before all the cybernetic augmentation."

"Oh, definitely. Her biotics were always powerful, and she always had a head for combat tech. She can handle any gun as well as a good commando, though she seems to prefer the faster firing ones. After Miranda rebuilt her, well, let's just say that she's practically invincible."

Solana frowned at Garrus. "G, tell me honestly, do you love her? As in, is she the mate you've marked for yourself? It will end in heartbreak, you know. She seems to love the other girl quite a lot."

Turians were a species that could only really fall in love once in their lives. Unfortunately, if that love was not reciprocated, they could never really recover from the almost physical heartbreak.

Garrus fell off his chair. He looked at his sister, astonished. She looked at him impassively, waiting for his answer.

Garrus got up and took his place back on his chair.

"No, Sol. I love Shepard, but not in that way. She's my best friend and my mentor. She's like a big sister who's always going to be there for me, and whom I'll always be there for. Despite how damnably attractive she is, I'd never look at her romantically. Besides, like you said...she has Sumi. And Eli. They're good together, and they are able to do things for her that none of us can! I'll be there for her if she needs me, but we're always going to be platonic."

Solana laughed. "Just pulling your leg, G. Fun to see you all flustered."

She grew thoughtful. "Besides, knowing you, I'd have said that the quarian mechanic… Tali, was it? I'd have guessed you'd hold a torch for her."

She looked at Garrus, expecting a rebuttal. Garrus only shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Solana put a hand to her mouth.

"Damn, you do have a thing for Tali, don't you, G? Spirits, are you two an item?"

"Not yet, at least. But I've seen some sparks there", chimed in Elisira, who'd been silent till then.

Garrus looked as Elisira reproachfully, then turned to Solana. "No, Sol. I am not an 'item' with anyone. Look, why are you so interested in my love-life?"

"Tali sounds nice", Solana mused. "I suppose I'll meet her in due time. Then, I'll tell her stories of Garrus Vakarian when he was younger and actually took his duties as an older brother seriously."

She smirked at Garrus mischievously.

Garrus looked mortified.

Then, Solana said, "Look, G, I'll help you out with her if you want. Eli will too. Just ask us."

Garrus shook his head, then seemed to think of something. "Wait a minute. What's up with you two? I'm getting the feeling that you know each other from before, acting all familiar around each other. What's the story?", he asked curiously.

Elisira blushed, and Solana turned away, mandibles chattering.

"Why did the atmosphere in here suddenly change so much", asked Garrus, looking at each girl in turn.

"G, remember the human girl I told you about. The one from Zorya...", said Solana, eventually.

"Yeah, of course I do. The one you said you'd fallen in love with. The reason you couldn't love anyone else. Her name was..." Garrus trailed off as it suddenly hit him.

"Eli? Wait a darn minute. Is El's little sister, Eli, that same Eli!?", he asked, shocked.

Elisira nodded and swallowed. "The very same, Garrus."

Garrus jumped up and hugged Elisira. "This is great news, then! You've found each other. And it's Elisira. Spirits! This is so exciting!", he said.

Solana laughed at Elisira's mortified expression. "Settle down, big brother. Or she's going to get scared and run away."

Elisira shook her head, and took a deep breath to compose herself. "Hardly. The last time, I let us be victims of our circumstances. This time, I'm not going to let that happen. I've never ever felt the same raw connection with anyone else", she said, looking at Solana intently.

"I'm glad...I didn't want to burden you with the whole one time love thing back then. It didn't feel right...", said Solana, looking down at the ground.

Elisira took Solana's chin between right thumb and forefinger and forced her to look up at her. "You're still so cute, just like back then...I think both of us were stupid. We just assumed a lot of things we probably shouldn't have. I feel like we've been given another shot...Know however that I have a complicated life and an even more complicated romantic situation. You might have already guessed that with how close I was to my sister and Kasumi..."

"Oh. It was pretty obvious that you were together. But I got the feeling that you were the secondary for both. Yes?"

Elisira looked surprised. "Yes. But how did you know?"

Solana shrugged. "It isn't all that uncommon in turian adults. We usually can have a burning passion for only one person, but that doesn't mean we can't find room in our lives to be very close to more. The concept of primaries and secondaries has always been there in our society."

Garrus added, "Yeah, I never actually found it weird that you guys were together. It was quite surprising to me that Jacob became agitated after finding out."

"I see...Damn, even big sis and Sumi don't think much of it, but then again, they grew up among other races. I spent most of my childhood around my own species, so I guess that I have this ingrained notion that what I have is strange. I don't think its wrong, never ever that...but it is difficult to explain to other humans. I do want to try with you, however. Both my sister and Sumi were supportive of me pursuing you. I want to see if our feelings can take us somewhere beautiful. What I'm asking is...do you?"

Solana nodded and said, "Yes...yes, I do. I may take some time to warm up to everyone properly, but I have a good feeling about it."

Elisira smiled. "Thank you", she said, and started caressing Solana's face gently. Solana nuzzled into her hand and made a happy keening noise.

Garrus shook his head and smiled at the scene. It was cute and heartwarming. He was very close to Elisira and loved her as dearly as he did his own little sister. It just felt so right and providential.

He decided to give them some space and time, quietly walking out of the med bay to his favored workspace at the ship's battery. The coming months were going to be very interesting, indeed.

-0-


	6. The Meathead meets The Baroness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set before ME3, when Vega is assigned to guard Shepard on the brig. Just an imagining of their first meeting.

-The Meathead meets The Baroness-

Well, he was finally going to meet her. His idol, his hero... his god. Or goddess, if you wanted to nitpick. Elia Albarn Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan, the First Human Spectre, the Savior of the Citadel, the Destroyer of the Collectors (though not many knew that one – James believed that was easily her best work). Someone who could come back from the dead too, if the reports were to be believed. Admirals Anderson and Hackett pinned all the galaxy's hopes of survival against the Reapers on her. Not just humanity. The whole fucking galaxy-the krogan, the turian, the asari, everyone!

Other less noteworthy accomplishments included: completing the N7 program in record time - sixty seven days from receiving the order to report to the academy for N4 training to actually getting the commendation. James' mind had done a double take when he read that. 67 DAYS! God damn it! The previous low had been 552, and this woman had done it in less than an eighth of that time. It was true that she'd been able to skip levels, but that didn't diminish the achievement at all. The fact that she was the youngest ever N7 operative seemed secondary.

Anderson was the one who had overseen the last mission she did as an N6. He was one of only a handful of people who could say they had fought by her side. And he had realized that he was in the presence of true greatness. Not the sort that came from the experience of seeing a lot and knowing what to do because of years of training. No, Elia was someone who acted almost purely on instinct. There was no way Anderson, or anyone for that matter - Hackett, or Pryor or Rainier...you could name every legend of the Alliance, and none of them came close to her in combat-her ability with guns was unquestionable, her head for tech was genius and her mastery over biotic fields paralleled the greatest huntresses and justicars. Additionally, her tactical acumen, her cold, calculated ruthlessness, and her insatiable bloodlust on the battlefield just sharpened the weapon's edge. The Admiral had even given Vega the highly classified report on that mission, seeing as he had been appointed to 'guard' her for a time.

His personal comments had read "The N7 program hardly seems to challenge Shepard. Just calling her an N7 and putting her on par with everyone else (such as myself) who are part of the club is an insult to her considerably greater ability. However, she is no common soldier. She doesn't have any particular respect for chain of command. She has a code of justice the can best be described as vigilante. I suggest that she be placed under COs who give her a wide berth and operational freedom; otherwise, she'll probably just go AWOL. I'm willing to bet my life that things around her will just explode. The Council and every other advanced military is right to keep an eye on her activities."

James smirked. Anderson would probably laugh if he read these rather prophetic comments. His words had been so close to the truth, it wasn't funny. Things had certainly exploded in a way nobody could have fathomed.

He went on to Shepard's personal history. Spacer kid, grew up on star-ships. Accidental exposure to eezo at the time of birth. Mother was a big-shot in the Alliance. Father was a soldier too, but he had died on a classified operation when she had been three. IQ scores off the charts. High enough to be certified genius as a teenager. Mother hadn't been around much during her childhood. A pair of twins were her best friends growing up. Enlisted in the Alliance at 18, in her own words, 'to explore and discover the galaxy beyond- the future was out there'. Sounded too rehearsed and normal to be true, in James' opinion. She also had a little sister - Elisira, an N7 graduate like her, and fittingly the second fastest graduate to date. Elisira had taken about seven times the sixty-seven days it'd taken Elia, coming in at a supremely respectable four hundred and sixty. Elia had even been her commanding officer on the last leg. Ever since then, Elisira had stayed with her, even leaving the Alliance following the destruction of the original Normandy.

James found out that his suspicions regarding Shepard's history being fabricated were accurate. A note from Anderson stated as much. The twins being her friends growing up - that was true. Both of them - Jake and Martin enlisted with her, and died two years later on a mission out near the Terminus Systems on the planet Zen. A slaver raid on a human colony. She had been stationed at that colony with seven others, including the twins. Six of them had died, including their commanding officer. She had survived, but there were unconfirmed reports that she had used a terminally ill human patient at the colony as a suicide bomber to flush out the slavers. Most of her missions were classified 'Highly Confidential'. Those that were not always seemed to follow the same pattern. The opposing forces decimated; the Alliance teams relatively intact. She hadn't lost a man under her direct command.

Then, there came the Skyllian Blitz at Elysium. She hadn't been there then, officially being AWOL during the period. Her sister had been, though. Elisira Noel Shepard was the Hero of Elysium, a legend to every Alliance marine, even to the present day. However, there were unconfirmed rumours of someone helping her out in her impossible hold. That hold had involved keeping a group of over a hundred people safe at a department store during the attack. The figure later disappeared, though Elisira had stayed behind to receive the 'Star of Terra'. She'd been tight-lipped about who the mysterious figure helping her had been, simply referring to them as 'a fiercely protective angel'. It fit her big sister well enough. The Alliance top brass knew who it had been, though. It had been her big sister. They'd kept it quiet because Elia had been on a personal mission to rescue an old ship captain. Secrecy had been a necessity.

One thing that practically everyone knew, however, was that she had been Major Kyle's XO on the Alliance's retaliatory strike to the Skyllian Blitz on the slaver's main base at Torfan. The place where she had obtained her epithet, 'The Butcher of Torfan'. Fifty seven marines went in, just fourteen came out. Shepard had led a small infiltration squad of nine in the operation. None of those directly under her command had died. The larger force, led by Major Kyle had suffered all the casualties. Six hundred well armed slavers in entrenched positions. It was practically suicide, but they had won.

James flipped to a report by one of Shepard's team, a Tech Specialist by the name Tanya Roe, her squad's second-in-command. Their infiltration team had fought their way to the facility's large armaments, and had then proceeded to disable the anti-aircraft cannons, the missile launchers, the assault turrets, essentially all of the heavy hitters. Major Kyle's group seemed to be getting along okay until they came upon an empty room, which housed a giant overload field. The marines who had taken up positions inside the room instantly had their weapons and shields fried. Batarians then started shooting them from their perches near the top of the opposite side. Gun turrets shred through their armor. Every defence the Alliance soldiers possessed were gone in a matter of seconds. It was a massacre. The five of the group who had been fortunate enough not to have entered the room frantically called for backup and aid from the infiltration team. Shepard had coldly declined. Her reasoning was that the mission still stood – the infiltration team needed to free the people the slavers had captured and then, destroy the slavers facility. Coming over to Major Kyle's position would be a waste of the hard-won advantage they had, and a fool's errand, besides. The men inside the room were dead anyway. They couldn't use their weapons. No use allowing more to be slaughtered.

James frowned. A hard decision. But the right one, by his reckoning. The chances of saving any of the men inside the room had to be close to zero. Her team could still carry on and finish the mission, ensuring that their sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. Moreover, wasn't it the Major's fault in the first place for being so stupid? Still, James didn't believe he could have made that decision. Not even after Fehl Prime.

James continued reading the report. Shepard led her team through waves of Batarian forces. Tanya's report detailed how Shepard had probably killed twice as many slavers as the entire rest of the squad put together.

One of the comments she made tickled James. "She probably didn't need us, not really. Most of us got the feeling that we were just slowing her down. Probably would have finished up much sooner if she'd been put in-charge of the entire operation."

They got to the containers in which the slaves were kept. The Batarian commander had proceeded to gas one container, killing over fifty captured civilians to provoke her. Then, he'd realized his folly, as Elia responded to his demand to surrender, by hitting two colleagues standing next to him with a biotic warp field so powerful that they just disintegrated. No sooner had the Batarian commander moved to flip another switch to gas another container, did his head explode. Lesker, the sniper on their team had found his mark. They made quick work of the Batarians and released the prisoners. The Alliance squad told the captives to wait where they were for extraction.

Several of the remaining slavers laid their weapons down and begged for mercy. Exactly one hundred and seventy of them in total. The squad walked the slavers over to the room where the overload field had decimated most of the Major Kyle's unit. When they came upon the survivors, they found all of them dazed, the Major himself shell-shocked and unfeeling. Only five people on his team had made it, while Shepard's team, the smaller force, was completely intact.

Shepard had looked around, and asked "Who's the second in command here?"

A petite Japanese woman stood up and saluted Shepard. "I am".

"Ah! Lieutenant Fujita. Ask two of your men to help Kyle up."

She looked over at the Major with some contempt.

"The rest of you, come with us. We'll be lining the slavers up in this room", she said, indicating the room with the overload field, the bloody grave of forty three marines of the Systems Alliance.

Fujita quickly complied. Shepard and the rest lined the Batarians up against the far wall of the room. Shepard raised her hand, and asked everyone to fire at will when she brought it down. Tanya's report detailed how willingly they obliged. The 170 batarians were butchered in a matter of seconds. Shepard led the remnants of the team out, two marines supporting the CO, who had proven that he wasn't as unfeeling as first thought by fainting during the ensuing massacre of the surrendering slavers.

Before reaching the extraction point, Elia had taken Tanya aside and coolly told her, "Tanya, be a friend and fill in the report on what happened here. Be as objective as you can. Tell them exactly what happened. Even the part about me calling for the execution of surrendering enemies. Don't need to show it to me. Give it to Anderson and Hackett. I have neither the time nor the energy to be debriefed. I'm just done."

Shepard had given her a crooked smile, and apparently just disappeared at one of the stations their starship stopped at to refuel on their way to Arcturus. She left a memo stating that she had some business to take care of, and that she'd go to there at a later point.

There was a note attached the end of the report, written by Admiral Hackett. At the debrief, Admiral Hackett had asked each of the surviving squad (save Major Kyle) whether they would work with the Commander again. None of them hesitated in answering. They would bloody well die for her if she wanted it. Hackett signed off his note with "Just as I thought."

That was how compelling a leader Elia Albarn Shepard was. That was exactly what they needed for the fight against the Reapers.

-0-

James was tired. He looked at the time. Shit! He'd been reading old mission reports for almost four hours! He had never been able to read anything beyond a half hour before falling asleep previously. He got off the couch he had been lying on and stretched. The brig was quite quiet. There were only two people on the vessel in total, Admiral Anderson, and he, himself. The Admiral was inside in the study. It was a homely brig-comfortable and well-furnished.

The pilot of the Normandy, one of Shepard's oldest associates, Jeff Moreau, would be flying it. The Normandy had already been surrendered to the Alliance for retrofits. Shepard, however, had declined to surrender herself at the same time, stating that she had business to take care of. No one argued with Shepard or ordered her to do anything. So, Anderson and Hackett had requested her to report to the brig as soon as she was able. 'Requested' being the operating word in this case. It had weight. It indicated that Elia Albarn Shepard was treated with respect everywhere, even legends of one of the galaxy's strongest navies.

The woman had been shouting at everyone to start doing something about the Reapers a long time ago. Few people had believed her. She and her squad had repelled them almost single-handedly at the Citadel, destroyed their most powerful thralls, and delayed them with that rather regrettable business at Aratoht. And now, in a few months, the galaxy would be set aflame. And she was the one everyone looked to, to lead them out.

It wasn't just the Alliance though - every military that boasted some sort of strength in the Milky Way galaxy respected her. For good reason. To her, all life was of equal value. To her, it didn't matter which race or species somebody belonged to. Well, almost every race. The batarians were stupid little fucks.

On her mission to defeat Saren and the Geth, she had had a Krogan Battlemaster, Urdnot Wrex, now their chief, leader, king; a Turian Sharpshooter and Combat Engineer, Garrus Vakarian, reportedly the leader of the Archangel group which had waged a successful but pyrrhic war on Omega's merc bands, also rumored to be her best friend and second-in-command on her ship; an asari scientist considered one of the foremost experts on the protheans, Dr. Liara T'Soni, rumoured also to be one of the most powerful information brokers in the world, if not the most powerful; and an exceptionally gifted Quarian Machinist called Tali'Zorah nar Rayyah, later Tali'Zorah vas Neema and finally, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, once she'd decided to embrace and turn into gold what had originally been meant as an insult. Apart from that, she'd also had her sister Elisira Noel, also an exceptional combat engineer and infiltrator, a legend in her own right, Kaidan Alenko, and Ashley Williams. Williams had been the first person under her command she'd ever lost.

When Elia had assaulted the Collectors beyond the Omega-4 Relay, she had added ten others to her group of trusted, bloodthirsty, highly competent, and completely ruthless group of killers, all of whom were willing to die for her, all of them completely loyal. James had read the files- Miranda Lawson, a Cerberus Operative who had been obsessively Cerberus, and six months with Shepard had changed her into an equally obsessively anti-Cerberus and pro-Shepard force; Jacob Taylor, ex-Alliance soldier, competent, and nothing much else besides; Thane Krios, a notorious Drell assassin and marksman, probably the very best in the galaxy; Kasumi Goto, a master thief, saboteur and infiltrator, again probably the very best in the galaxy, and the one who had apparently become Shepard's girlfriend later on; Zaeed Massani, a well-known bounty hunter and mercenary with a penchant for succeeding on every mission he ever took up; Samara, an Asari warrior, part of an ancient order called the Justicars; Legion, a Geth (James couldn't wrap his head around this one, Shepard was an enigma, all right; she fought Geth one war, then let them join her in the next one!); Mordin Solus, a brilliant salarian scientist, a legend of the STG; Jack, or Subject Zero, considered by the Alliance to be the most powerful human biotic ever, possibly barring Shepard herself; and Grunt, a Krogan warrior, rumored to be the Dr. Okeer's 'Perfect Krogan', and the first in generations to have taken down a thresher maw during his Rite of Passage (seriously!? Those things were huge! Again, James bet Shepard had something to do with it. Also, it came as no surprise to James that the previous Krogan to have done the Thresher Maw feat had been Wrex. Maybe, Shepard found her Krogan at the same gift shop?)

Reading everything the files said about Shepard, James couldn't understand how she'd done it. He probably never would-not everyone was destined for the sort of greatness that his idol was. Come to think of it, she was probably one of those heroes of ages, the ones which came along in fantasy novels whose stories chronicled how one person stood up to throw down an overwhelmingly oppressive force.

-0-

He was near its entrance. Shepard would be there any minute. Suddenly, he heard a noise beyond the room he was in, in the pantry. Anderson probably taking a break, he assumed. James liked Anderson. He was the sort of soldier who could mentor his charges and teach them well. However, he always seemed a little sad whenever they talked about Shepard. He wondered why.

Presently, he decided he wouldn't mind a cup of hot chocolate himself. He walked into the pantry. What he saw stopped him short. Two women were there. Both were about six feet tall, with well-toned physiques. One had her hair worn shoulder-length, James recognized the style. It was the 'cyberbabe' hairstyle that was all the rage at the time, since the blockbuster flick the previous year starring Anglia Thomas. 'Inception', was it? Something to do with dreams and waking. James had enjoyed the film, but he didn't see what all the fuss was about. Her hair was a bright red, with purple streaks sprinkled liberally all around. The other woman wore hers in pigtails that extended slightly beyond her shoulder. Her hair was also red, with streaks of platinum blonde. They looked very similar. Probably sisters.

The pigtailed one was measuring cocoa into a cup, while the cyberbabe one was keeping an eye on the milk she'd set to boil on a kettle. James stood there gaping at them. Who were they?

Presently, the cyberbabe girl spoke. "Lieutenant Vega, I presume? Took you long enough to realize we were here. Anderson was sleeping."

"Er, yes. Um.. Who are you people? And how'd you get in?"

"I'm Elia Albarn Shepard. But I'd prefer not to be called by my second name. My first name, you don't get to use yet. Any other nickname you think of...well, they're okay, I guess."

"And I'm Elisira Noel Shepard, her little sister. How do you do?"

The sisters sat down.

"I saw you reading some reports. No offence, but you don't look much like the reading type", said Elia.

"Yeah, a six foot tall male, obviously spends a lot of time in the gym. Alliance commando, through and through", said Elisira.

"Very interesting that Anderson would pick you for this gig", put in Elia.

"I agree. You look like one of those blue-eyed boys who'll make himself a bright future in our esteemed military system", continued Elisira.

"Yeah, you know the type. Follow orders, have faith in the leaders, and be the soldier they want you to be", said Elia.

"He also seemed surprised to see me here with you, big sis. Maybe, they didn't tell him I'd be along too?", wondered Elisira, out loud.

"Maybe so. I'm not too sure, either. In any case, they're now stuck with both of us. Two Shepards for the price of one", said Elia, chuckling.

James said, "Oh Lord! Could you two stop doing this ping-pong...talking thing? It's making my head spin."

The two sisters stopped to look at Vega in surprise, and both burst out laughing.

"Sorry", said Elisira.

"Yeah, sorry", supplied Elia.

"But, you know", began Elisira.

"We tend to do this", continued Elia.

"A whole lot, don't we?", finished Elisira.

"Arghh", said James, holding his head in his hands.

The two sisters laughed again.

"You seems close. And come to think of it, you two are pretty similar. Both N7s. Both military legends. And not part of the Alliance anymore."

"Yeah, it isn't really the life for either of us", said Elisira.

"We're just bad soldiers. You can't pick and choose your chain of command all the time, unfortunately", added Elia.

"But your mum's pretty high up now. A Rear-Admiral the last time I met her", said James, thoughtfully.

"You met mum? When? How is she?", asked Elisira.

"Yeah, about six months ago at a debrief following my mission on Fehl Prime. She looked fine. Hackett and Anderson were there too. They did have some advice for me, though, after seeing my Normandy patch..."

"A Normandy patch?", asked Elia, interestedly.

"Yeah, it was a limited edition piece, available via lottery. Special event celebrating the first ever human Spectre, and her victory in the Battle of the Citadel. Only twenty five were ever made, and I was lucky enough to get one of them."

"How come I never heard of this! And what do you mean, 'get'? Wasn't it a lottery?"

"Yes, it was. A good friend of mine, Steve, gave it to me...He knew how much of a fanboy I was."

"You're a fan of my big sis? How does she stack up to your expectations?", asked Elisira, smiling mischievously.

"The whole Normandy crew, actually. Garrus Vakarian, Urdnot Wrex, Liara T'Soni, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, you two. And the Alliance marines too - Kaidan Alenko and Ashley Williams. Our whole squad idolized your crew. I'm the only one left now, so I have to carry it on."

James looked sad, all of a sudden.

"Only one left? What happened to them?"

"I...It's difficult to talk about. Fehl Prime was hell. I was the only one to survive and I got promoted. I still find it hard to make sense of it, wilfully missed all my therapist sessions after the first one. Worked an easy security detail out in the Terminus systems for a bit, thought they'd just put me there in semi-retirement. Anderson kept track of me got me though, and convinced me to accept reassignment to this gig."

"Shit happens. It's been a lot worse in recent years, though", said Elisira, sympathetically.

"What advice did the admirals and mum give you?", asked Elia.

"Your mum, Hannah...she told me never to try to follow in the footsteps of either of her daughters. Hackett agreed. Said that the greatness that you possess...it requires a great deal of sacrifice. Anderson too. He told me to take it easy for a while."

"They are completely right, you know. All of the Normandy crew...we've seen enough shit to make anyone's head spin. We carry scars, both visible, and below the surface. Some of them probably will never heal, but we get by, somehow. Push it away into some corner of our psyche for the present. A ticking time bomb. There's no time to deal with it yet, so you defer it. At some point, it'll all come back. All the wrong decisions we made, all the friends we saw killed, all the fucked up situations the we had to trudge through and not really fully process, just because there's always something ahead that's more pressing, that you have to focus on. It's a slow build-up. A group of walking wounded, together not just because of mutual trust and friendship, but also because no one else really gets it. No one else gets that this is exactly what 'greatness' looks like. A god-damned freaking mess. Just a lot of cynicism, and bitterness. A bunch of individuals numb to any horror, who can look at death with jaded eyes, and dare it to come and claim them. Almost irreparably damaged, and willing to admit as much. That's us. I only say 'almost' because I cannot admit that there isn't hope...And eventually, a time will come when we will all come crashing down. That is not going to be pretty in the least."

Elia gave a short, derisive laugh, before trailing off. She shook her head, and unconsciously clenched and unclenched her fist several times, looking deep in thought. Elisira noticed and immediately put her hand in her elder sister's, squeezing it comfortingly.

"We'll all be there for each other when that happens. We'll pick up anyone who falls, because we're the fucking Normandy crew. As deranged as we may be, we are the motherfucking heroes of this galaxy", said Elisira, giving her sister a wide smile as Elia looked up at her. The elder sister's mouth slowly curved into a smile as well, as she nodded her head.

The sisters looked up enquiringly at the flabbergasted marine. His silence seemed a satisfactory answer.

Eventually, James let out a deep breath. "I...This will be interesting. I think..."

"Sure it will, son", said a gravelly voice off to the side, in the direction of one of the doorways.

Elia, Elisira and James all turned in the direction of the voice and saw Admiral David Edward Anderson standing there.

"Sir", said James, saluting.

Elia got up and walked over to him, shaking his hand warmly and hugging him.

Elisira followed, doing the same.

"Good to see you well, old man. Even without us around", commented Elia.

Anderson chuckled and returned, "That's probably one reason I didn't suffer a heart attack yet."

The sisters laughed at that.

"I see you've met Lieutenant Vega. He'll be around to keep an eye out."

"On us?", asked Elia.

"No. God knows you don't need that. He'll be your guard, so to speak. And I'm hoping you can find a place for him on the Normandy once the war starts...I can vouch for his talents."

Elia nodded and looked over at James. "It depends completely on the Lieutenant."

James looked at Elia, stunned. "Just like that? No objections or screening?"

"Just like that. No objections or screening."

"He has that look in his eye. The look of someone who wants to find somewhere to belong or something",said Elisira.

Elia nodded. She turned to James and told him, "I don't really choose who joins my squads. They just end up being around me and working as part of the crew. Being on the Normandy is a daily risk to your continued existence. Don't let the stories fool you."

"I...It'd be an honor."

"Maybe it would. But, I'd advise you to think carefully about it. We're not a military vessel. The Normandy is not even allied to any one military or political system in the galaxy. It's the vessel of a Spectre, and all that it entails. It's the ship that will lead the charge for everyone, and we have to stand for everyone."

"You needn't worry that it won't count towards your career progression in the Alliance, however. If there exists such things that matter beyond the war, that is. I'm willing to authorize either Shepard sister to serve as your mentor and commanding officer towards your N7 certification as well", said Anderson.

James looked stunned. "N7? But, I haven't..."

"Ah yes, the notification would just have gone out, Lieutenant. You have been invited to the program, should you wish to take it up."

"Really?", asked James, staring wide-eyed at Anderson.

"Yes", confirmed Anderson, nodding his head.

"And it'll be okay for either of these two to take me through it?", asked James, motioning to the sisters.

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"Though I wouldn't be too eager to do that if I were you. My daughters are adrenaline junkies. They're good kids, but seem to delight in denying their poor old mother any sleep at all", said a new voice from the door. It was female. Felt familiar to everyone in the room.

James and the Shepard sisters turned in its direction and saw Rear Admiral Hannah Shepard standing there.

"Mum!", exclaimed both sisters as they rushed to cover their mother in a crushing family bear hug. Their mother returned it with equal gusto.

"You two look well...for children who went rushing into the Omega-4 relay", looking at each daughter in turn sternly.

"Er...", said Elia, reddening.

"We didn't have a choice, mum. They had our crew. We had to save them!", argued Elisira.

Hannah sighed. "What am I going to do with you two? You devils have been nothing but trouble ever since I brought you into this universe", she said, shaking her head.

"But, you wouldn't have it any other way?", said Elia, laughing uncertainly.

"If it were up to me, I'd have changed a great many things about how we ended up living our lives. But, considering the situation and all that's happened...I could not be prouder of how you two have done."

"Just wait till this war's over. We're going to be talked about in every corner of the entire galaxy", quipped Elisira.

Hannah laughed. "As long as you two troublemakers promise to meet me after it."

"We'll hold you to it, mum. It's a promise", said Elia, solemnly.

Hannah broke away from her daughters and walked up to Anderson.

"Good to meet you, David", she said, offering a hand.

"Likewise, Hannah", replied Anderson, shaking it firmly.

Then, she turned to James. He saluted her.

"Rear Admiral!", he said.

"No need to be so stiff, James. It's nice to see you again", said Hannah, offering him a hand as well.

"Likewise, ma'am", said James, taking her hand and shaking it.

Everyone stood around for a while, doing nothing.

Eventually, Anderson said, "Well, why are we all standing here? Let's sit down and catch up!"

"I agree", said Hannah, taking up a seat on the comfortable looking sofa. Her daughters joined her, sitting on either side of their mother. James and Anderson took the two chairs.

"Big sis and I were making cocoa...I believe we set enough milk to boil for all of us", said Elisira, helpfully.

"That sounds good!", said Hannah. Anderson agreed as well.

"I'll get it", volunteered James, going up to the counter and preparing five mugs of hot chocolate.

Once he was done, he looked for a tray among the utensils. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be one available. Elia saw his predicament and decided to help.

"James, you can set the mugs down and come over. I'll get them to everyone", she called.

"Eh, all right", said James, moving away from the counter and re-taking his seat.

Elia used her biotics to deliver the mugs to each person in the room, taking hers last.

"You're good at this!", said James, eyes wide with surprise.

Elia shrugged. "I had good teachers, I guess."

Hannah laughed. "I was equally stunned when I first saw Elia pull off such feats with her biotics. As was Anderson, and Elisira. You're not alone in being surprised the first time, James", she commented.

"Ah...I see", said James.

"Big sis is the strongest human biotic alive! Jack and Miri come close, but I still think she beats them both", said Elisira, proudly.

"Ah. Maybe", said Elia, blushing slightly. She'd never thought much of her considerable biotic ability. It just came naturally to her.

There was silence for a while as everyone drank their hot chocolate.

Presently, Anderson asked, "So, James. Any questions you'd like to ask your idols? They are sitting right here, and I've never seen you as engrossed in reading material as you were while reading the old mission reports of our resident Spectre."

James' face reddened slightly as his eyes darted from Elia to Elisira. Anderson and Hannah laughed at his discomfort.

"Neither of them are going to bite, James. I can vouch for that much, at the very least. Plus, if you're planning on joining the Normandy crew, there's no time like the present to gather more information on what you may be getting yourself into", said Hannah.

"Er, all right...I did have some questions about the mission reports", said James.

"Go ahead and ask them. We'll answer what we can", said Elia.

"About that terminally ill patient on Zen, did he ask to be the suicide bomb? What made you think of using him? And why?"

Elia looked surprised. She thought for a bit. "An interesting question...I must confess that it's an incident that's rather painful for me, personally. My two best friends growing up died during that raid...But, to answer your question - yes. He did ask for it. The boy was terminally ill. He knew it, though he never told me what he had, come to think of it. Never asked him either, but that didn't really matter. Found him hiding behind some crates near where the slavers had taken up positions in cover. I asked him what the hell he was doing. He said he wanted to help. Barely eight or nine and he said he had less than 6 months to live. He wanted to get revenge for his friends. The slavers had massacred his classroom, killing all his classmates, and Miss Alison, his home-room teacher. He wanted to get back at the slavers for their sakes. I can remember his expression like it's happening right in front of me. A curious gleam. One of a person with only revenge on his mind. Revenge at any cost. I pushed it to the back of my mind, because I didn't want to think about what he'd seen to give him that resolve...Like always, I had a crazy idea that could have worked. I made him into a rudimentary suicide bomb. I had enough material around for a decent ordnance. Even had some sedatives, that I gave to him. Told him it wouldn't hurt any more, and that he would just drift off to join his friends. He thanked me for the chance. He was happy. Happy that he was able to derive some meaning from his short life. That his death might mean that people he cared about were avenged and more people survived. Thinking back, I wonder sometimes. What meaning can anyone derive from retribution? It was a strange situation. Anyhow, I optically cloaked the bomb I'd built once the sedatives had kicked in. Then, I lifted him biotically to the middle of the compound where the slavers were entrenched. Placed him squarely in the middle. And then, I detonated him. Most of the slavers died. Some were wounded. Others too surprised. I was the only one there. Eight of us had started the assault, only two of us had survived. The other guy who survived, Kristoff, was sitting near some crates with a broken leg, protecting a group of kids, sniping anything in sight. I took out the remaining slavers. The exact memory of what happened after that was a haze of rage and instinct and bloodlust. Suddenly, that was that. I put everything in my report. It went all the way up to Hackett and Storm. If the Alliance hadn't taken notice of me before then, they sure started after that."

"Oh, they had their eye on you for some time. Even before that incident", commented Anderson.

"Thanks for the story. I had another question. How did you two get in here?"

"Sis used a biotic field to get the luggage in, and I setup an optical camouflage cloak to get by without being seen. Hacking the lock didn't take much, and the best techs don't make a noise. It wasn't all that hard. You should improve your security", said Elisira, smirking.

"Hey, don't look at me. I'm just a normal soldier. They put me through regular commando training since I never had the head to learn tech stuff and no biotic inclinations to speak of. I can use every gun there is, though I excel at medium to close range. Nothing compared to you two. I can no shame in being outwitted. Both your profiles indicated IQs off the charts. They even put the two of you through multiple training programs when you joined the Alliance, just because they couldn't decide what to do with you. Both of you were equally lethal with guns and tech attacks. The older sister was so good with biotics that she was considered the best in the Alliance. And I've seen evidence of that already. The little sister was so good with tech that her optical camouflage and assault drone modules were treated as the golden standard for all engineer or infliltrator training. The two of you together basically form an army!"

Elia and Elisira laughed.

"Well, I've certainly improved a bit since those profiles were created. Especially after we used Cerberus to develop or procure the latest in cybernetic implants. For example, I currently use prototype L7 implants, and they're far more powerful than the L5s that the Alliance currently provides their best vanguards", said Elia.

"Most of the squad also opted for the benefits of a bunch of cyberization procedures. Varied from species to species, but most of us signed on for them. Bone weaves, extremely enhanced regenerative capabilities, nano-crystalline augmentations...sometimes, I used to wonder whether we were a combat squad, or a bunch of super soldiers being experimented upon and constantly improved...but, we had to do everything we could to gain an edge", added Elisira.

"Er, thanks for sharing. I'm not sure how much of a politically correct question this one is, since we have two really high ranking members of the Alliance here. But, you two are no longer in the navy. I gather that neither of you are big on being marines and such."

Anderson and Hannah laughed.

"It's completely fine to ask, Vega. Hannah and I joined the Alliance right after First Contact. It was a golden era of discovery for humanity. Once the charm had worn off, you found that since you've been part of it so long, you can't just leave it. Younglings from the next generations cannot be faulted for not being invigorated enough by it", said Anderson.

"Well, what Anderson says is part of the reason, I suppose. The Alliance is a political system, much like the Turian meritocracy or the Quarian Conclave and Admiralty. It happens to be a system that so far, has survived, and served us quite well. It is no way near perfect, just as organic life was never built to be perfect. I don't particularly support it or oppose it. As long as they don't have a problem with me, I'll stay out of their way. If they need my help on something, I generally do provide it to them, within reasonable bounds. This is one such example. I'm playing along with this whole charade because it seems like the best course of action at this point. No point giving the batarians a reason to declare war on the Alliance for what I had to do at Aratoht."

"But, you two both enlisted in the military, became soldiers. Took your oaths."

"I died in all the records. Not just once, too. Today, I'm still officially KIA. The Collectors, Aratoht, they were both taken out by a ghost. The Alliance is trying to convince everyone I'm dead, and possibly for good reason. They're having some trouble. As to your comment, I'll tell you this, Lieutenant. Oaths mean nothing to dead people. In any case, neither of us actually ever took it. I'll admit that I cut corners now and then, but never went directly against it. I had contempt for incompetence, and openly voiced it. I had no respect for chain of command. My sister, fortunately or unfortunately, took after me. Hackett realized this early. He put me under COs who gave me a wide berth. Until Major Kyle. The little idiot didn't have a clue what to do when things went to hell. He was weak. After that business on Torfan, I was pretty much under Anderson's command until I became a Spectre."

"And I was always under big sis' command. I couldn't seem to take orders from anyone else, either", put in Elisira.

Elia nodded. "Credit to Anderson here, he did try to lead me on a more mild path. My tendency towards vigilante-ism troubled him. I guess it worked, to an extent. I carried a little bit of that later as well, when I became a Spectre and resigned from the Alliance. I still helped whenever I could, though. Hackett honestly gave me the most interesting missions to do."

"And I left after the original Normandy got destroyed by the Collectors. Mum argued with me for days, but I couldn't believe that I'd lost big sis. Not again. So, Liara and I became information brokers on Ilium. We met up with Miri and managed to find big sis barely alive on Alchera. Miraculously, some ancient construct that seemed to be from some long lost civilization had kept her alive, on life support. I've never seen anything like it before. Liara speculated that it predated the protheans by a long time. It ran some self destruction sequence once we'd gotten big sis to safety, so we couldn't study it further. But it didn't matter, because we had big sis back!", said Elisira.

Elia added, "I do remember fragments. That thing put some memories in my head, similar to the prothean beacon back at Eden Prime, where this all started. A different cycle. Same result. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make sense of them, but they are there...They changed me in some way. I feel it sometimes. Some instances get triggered once in a while too. I'm not sure how or why it happens, but I'm not complaining."

"None of us are, dear", put in Hannah, squeezing her elder daughter's arm.

"A lot of strange things have happened to you, child. You're an unfortunate victim of circumstance", commented Anderson.

"We all are, David. I'd never have expected all those years ago that, of all the billions of people from all the different species, my daughters would be right in the middle of all this. We could have done better. The Normandy's heroism bought us some time. I have a feeling we'll ask a lot more of the poor dears before this is over."

"We're up for it, mum. Don't you worry!", said Elisira.

There was a moment of silence.

"Do you really think we can win this war?", asked James, suddenly.

Elia and Elisira looked at each other and nodded.

Elia spoke first. "Yes. It'll be hard, and we'll lose a lot. Our galaxy will be unrecognizable at the end of it. But yes, I believe we can."

"And I trust in my big sister. She's never lost before, so she'll see it through for us again, whatever the cost", said Elisira.

"And do you think I can help out on your squad?", asked James.

Elia shrugged. "That's really your choice. There's a place for you if you want it. I won't kick you off unless you do something majorly screwed up."

James nodded. "I'd like to join up."

"Just stay close to us and you'll get to ride", said Elisira, laughing.

-0-

James reflected on his day, as he lay in his bunk bed. He had met his idol. And she had been as enigmatic as he had expected. Her sister too. He had also sensed some degree of fatigue in both of them. They had seen and done so much, handled all sorts of problems. Thinking back to what he knew of the older sister, he could understand why she sounded as cynical and bitter as she did. She'd been warning everyone of the Reapers for years and no one had listened. There would have been casualties in any case. Only now, there would be a lot more. As for the younger sister, he could see that the two enabled each other in so many ways, both good and bad. She was a chip off the old block, her ultimate follower.

It also surprised him no end that both smoked heavily, and drank like fucking tanks.

He hoped he could meet the rest of the legends of the Normandy, and be at their side in battle when the Reapers hit. He was James Vega, a hotshot commando of the human Systems Alliance, god damn it. And he was going to make sure he went wherever they went. The Normandy crew got into the biggest fights. They destroyed threats that spanned galaxies. And frankly, saving the galaxy did sound like the kind of story he'd like to tell his grandchildren.

-0-

The Shepard sisters made themselves comfortable in their two-tiered bunk bed. Elia lay on the top bunk, while Elisira lay in the one below.

"So, what'd you think of Vega, sis?", asked Elisira.

"He'll be interesting to have around, I guess. Apart from you, I've never had a human squadmate who wasn't at least a little xenophobic. So, it'll be interesting. And I have a feeling our ring fights should also get more interesting."

"Yeah, he was well-built. Strong."

Elia peeked over her bunk to look at her little sister.

"Little sis, do you find him attractive or something? I can help you out, you know", she said, smirking.

Elisira shook her head several times. "Of course not, big sis, you tease!", she exclaimed.

Elia laughed. Her little sister pouted.

"I'm sorry, just felt like pulling your leg, little sis...besides, I've never seen you get all that close to anyone thus far. I mean, you're close to all the crew on the Normandy. And you do have Sumi and I...But, you don't have a primary. And I'm sure that you must feel left out at times, being a secondary to the two of us, even if you don't say it out loud. I always have this feeling that you need a primary as well to balance it out."

"Hmph. It's all right, I suppose. And I haven't found the person that I can feel comfortable enough with, and who could fit in to our..."

"Decadent, incestuous group?"

Elia smirked wider as Elisira blushed. "No, I do not think it is decadent or wrong."

"Nor do I, but it's nice to see my precious cute little sister blush."

Elisira pouted. "Big sis!", she wailed.

Elia quickly used her biotics to get to the lower bunk, lay herself by her sister's side and hugged her tight. "There, there", she said, soothingly. "You don't have to take anyone who criticizes what we have seriously, you know. Everyone has their right to an opinion, but we don't need to respect it or agree with it. And if anyone tries to hurt you, I'll kill them slowly and painfully."

"I'm sorry. I still have trouble at times with accepting...this."

"And that's totally fine. All of us have to comfortable with it, and we can talk about it if you ever feel the need to. No hard feelings even if we have to end this, someday."

Elisira suddenly kissed Elia fiercely. Elia was stunned at first, but responded to it the best she could.

"I do not want to end this, ever. I love you. I love Sumi. And I'm fine if I have to play second fiddle to the both of you. I don't think there's that burning passion between either pairing involving me that you two have, so I'm right where I need to be in this...and to answer your original question...I do think of romantic attachment at times. But, for anyone to be close to me, it's kind of a pre-requisite that they have to be on the Normandy because I'll never ever leave you. And they have to be open to sharing and receiving, because I'd never give either of you up. And they also have to be female..."

Elisira's face flushed. She seemed embarassed. Elia looked at her quizzically.

"It's nothing to worry yourself about, Eli. I've suspected it before. So have Sumi and Miri. So, you're only attracted to women?"

Elisira nodded.

"I see...any experiences?"

Elisira thought for a bit. When she spoke again, her voice had a faraway quality to it. "There was this turian girl once. A long time ago, somewhere between the Blitz and joining your crew on the Normandy and starting on the N7 commendation. She was part of special ops or something for sure, considering the hardware she used and the the mission she was on. We hit it off right from the start. Helped each other out with an investigation into a Blue Suns group that both our groups happened to be after simultaneously. I forget the why or how, but we ended up falling for a trap. We fought our way out together. Both of us had somewhat similar fighting tools. Optical cloaks, drones, overload fields and incineration blasts. The way we used it was quite different, though. She preferred getting up close to use this sword she carried around. And she had these mines she placed strategically around. Her approach was a lot more methodical than mine, but it worked. I've always had a combat style that's been more reactive. I rely on split-second decisions to come out on top of situations. Most of the time, I'm watching your back and covering your blindspots, reacting as you work your magic on the field. It was the same here. Both of us were right at home. It felt...comfortable. Just like how it feels when I'm with you. In any case, we blazed our way through the base, and both got the data we needed to achieve our mission objectives. Agreed to meet at the bar there once we'd reported in and been debriefed. There were sparks right from the start. Conversation flowed freely, as did the booze. We talked and talked. We moved to my hotel room and talked more. We had sex, of course, but it was not just the physical release of it with her. It was just so...nice. We had a connection. The next morning, we parted amicably. Our next missions would take us to different parts of the galaxy, and we didn't know if we would meet again...there was this unspoken agreement that if we did, maybe we could pursue something. And I have never ever felt like that with anyone else since, and so, never felt anyone was particularly worth pursuing...Sometimes, I do wonder if I'll ever feel that same way about someone. That burning passionate connection that you and Sumi have. I envy it at times, but at the same time, I'm happy that you'd share each other with me. Know that you'll always be my most important person in the galaxy, though. I am never going to leave your side. And I like to think she would have fitted in fine with our crew, and been okay with this."

"Do you know her name?", asked Elia, gently.

"Yes. Her name was Sol. She was a Lieutenant at the time."

Something clicked in Elia's mind. It couldn't be...could it? She put the thought away, though it was interesting to contemplate it.

"I'm sure you'll meet her again, little sis. I'll help you find her."

Elisira laughed.

"I'm sure you could, big sis. But, what can I offer her now? I don't hold a position in the Alliance. Sure, I'm Elia Albarn Shepard's little sister, and a part of the Normandy crew. But, what have I really done for myself?"

"Stop right there, little sis. Never ever sell yourself short! You are Elisira Noel Shepard, the freaking hero of the Skylian Blitz. You're a graduate of the N7 program, the second fastest to pull it off. Nobody can say that you aren't one of the galaxy's finest combatants. And everyone knows that you're not on the Normandy just because you're my little sister or some sentimental shit like that. You pull your weight on the ship, and then some. You were there when we took down Saren. You went through the Omega-4 relay and came out of it alive...Also, I hear being a Spectre is a pretty big deal."

"Spectre? You're the Spectre, big sis. Not me!"

"You'll be one soon too. I guarantee it", said Elia, smiling at Elisira fondly.

"Really!? You mean it? Wow, that'd be so cool. Then, I could go and intimidate the bad guys with the Spectre card just like big sis."

"That will take some work. You're too nice too be able to pull that sort of thing off, Eli", said Elia, chuckling.

Elisira's face fell slightly. "Yeah. I could never be as badass as you."

"You're just as badass as I am, Eli. Maybe, more so. Getting things done without being mean is pretty cool too. And it's fine to have doubts about yourself. I had them when I was courting Kasumi too. If it's meant to be, it'll definitely work out for you. You deserve no less. And never worry that you're in my shadow, even if it is big. You're your own person, a legend in your own right. Never ever forget that."

Elisira nuzzled into her older sister happily. "I love you, big sis. Thanks for the pep talk. And I'm going to be by your side as you win this war for us. And then, I'll stay with you as you continue to protect the galaxy or whatever, after that."

"Aww, you're the most precious little sister that ever was. I love you too. Ever so much. There's really no one else I'd rather have with me. We'll always raise hell together. Count on it!"

The sisters drifted off into a peaceful slumber, playing with each other's hair and cuddling happily. They'd taken a long time to find each other, but their relationship was so much stronger because of it.

Some time later, their mother came in to check on them, and smiled wide as she saw her daughters sleeping peacefully together. She wiped away a happy tear with her finger and turned off the nightlight to let her little heroes rest.

-0-


	7. The Thief and her Treasure

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kasumi takes Shepard out on a date...wait, what!?

-The thief and her treasure-

She drew her hood and waited on her perch on Level 27 of Zakera Ward. Kasumi was waiting to see if Cerberus really was telling the truth. Their claim sounded quite outlandish. Elia Albarn Shepard, Savior of the Citadel, the first human Spectre, the Butcher of Torfan, one of the heroes of the Skyllian Blitz (though it had never been acknowledged in the reports; conspiracy theorist that she was, it was easy for her to fit the evidence to support her belief), was really alive. She'd made all the preparations, hacked that gaudy advertisement board downstairs. Made sure she could see her mark clearly when she came around. She only needed to be patient now. Fortunately, she possessed that in great big spades.

After a while, she spied a well-armed group below. They were led by a woman, a red-head, hair worn in the 'Cyberbabe' style. It had suddenly become all the rage for human teenagers ever since Anglia Thomas had worn it in the blockbuster flick, 'Inception', six months previously. It had been well-received by all audiences, with Thomas' portrayal as the leader of a highly specialized band of misfits, which included a salarian, a turian, a volus, two krogan, an asari and a quarian. It was quite possibly why it had done so well. Multi-species cast and galactic harmony and all that jazz sold, and sold well. Especially when the exploits of one Elia Shepard were still fresh in the public's memory.

Anyhow, the woman Kasumi was observing had an aura about her, which marked her as one who had done and seen many things, and that she was not to be trifled with. An aura of power. Kasumi Goto had to be good at reading the little things. That was how she had become such a successful thief, probably the best in the galaxy.

The woman's figure was attractive, by any standards. Several men, and women glanced at her appreciatively as she walked by. She couldn't make out her face though. Or her eyes. A person's eyes always told you a lot about them. In this case, the woman wore something that looked like night-vision goggles. Wait, it couldn't be. An umbra visor! Kasumi had seen prototypes of it lying around during one of her jobs at a Rosenkov Materials facility. She remembered being fascinated by its incredibly complex design.

The woman was followed by a krogan. The krogan was obviously new to the Citadel- he was turning his head and looking in every direction, drinking in the sights. Another red-head similar in build and appearance to the one who led the group walked beside the krogan. She wore her hair in pigtails. Probably the sister of the cyberbabe.

Wait, if the cyberbabe was Elia Shepard, and pigtails was actually her sister, then it would the pigtailed one Elisira Noel Shepard! The Hero of the Skylian Blitz, a legend in her own right! Kasumi would be in distinguished company indeed.

The red-haired woman with her cyberbabe hair stepped purposefully up to the ad-board.

"Um, Kasumi Goto?" asked Shepard.

Kasumi heard a playfulness in her voice, and knew right then that she was going to get along with her.

She decided to have some fun. Once she'd turned on her omni-tool vidcam, Shepard appeared on her holo-screen. She could be seen at the other end as well.

"Commander Shepard? I was led to believe that I am to lend you my assistance to save the galaxy" she asked, playfully.

"That's...not exactly how I'd put it, but yes. You've grasped the gist of it, Ms. Goto"

"Please. Call me Kasumi. Or Sumi if you prefer. Now, would you like to tell me the password you received?"

"Certainly. 'Silence is golden'."

"Hmm, you played along. Not that hardcore or badass, I see. I think we'll get on quite well, Commander."

Shepard gave Kasumi a lopsided smirk. "Oh you're gonna change your opinion soon enough. I'm as badass as they come. Can't have my sister or Grunt here not think the world of me. That'd be uncool...And about getting along, I'd tend to agree. Also, please call me Elia. Or El. Or whatever you want. Just not my middle name. I don't have a military rank, and I'd rather not be reminded of it."

"So I shouldn't call you Albarn?"

Shepard frowned a little. "Yeah, I find it rather irritating. Parents were fans of some crappy boy band from the late twentieth century."

"It's nice. Quaint and unusual. I like it...but, I'll honor your request, Shep."

"'Shep', huh? That works." Elisira giggled.

"So, did the Illusive Man tell you about the help I needed? I purposely didn't give him too many details. Don't really trust the man."

"The Illusive Man didn't tell me anything. Just sent a dossier, said you're a master thief, one of the best in the galaxy. I asked my old friends, Natalya and Irene if they'd heard about you. And they said that your reputation was quite justified."

Kasumi smiled mischievously. "Just 'one of the best'? No way, Shep. I AM the best. Not the most famous. Watch my step to keep it that way. And you know Nat and Irene? How are they doing?"

"We go way back, actually. They were sort of my guardians for a while too, though I took care of them more than they took care of me. They're too old to actively involve themselves in my shenanigans nowadays, but they do help where they can."

Kasumi was surprised. "You're more and more interesting every second, Shep. That's good. I like interesting."

Elia shrugged. "What can I say? I aim to please", she said, smirking lopsidedly.

Kasumi laughed. "I'm sure you are."

"Come to think of it, I could take pointers from you on that."

"Pointers on what? Thieving?"

"Eh, no. I meant the not being famous part. Keeping a low profile. Don't get me wrong - it's a great help to be famous at times, but it's a major drag otherwise. Once in a while, I'm fortunate enough to come across merc bands who get scared at the prospect of facing me and probably dying... So, they slink away without question and save me a lot of thermal clips in the process."

"I can well imagine."

"So you're Japanese? What's with the Medieval looking costume?"

"Yes, from when that mattered. My family's ancestors were originally from Kyoto, and they even have an old property there. I don't remember much of it, though. And the costume...well, it has a story of its own. Ask again later. You may get it out of me."

"And maybe get you out of it, hmm", mused Elia.

Kasumi was shocked at Elia's forwardness. She was at a loss for words, and didn't know how to respond.

Elisira snorted and said, "Really, sis?", shaking her head.

Elia gave Kasumi a lopsided smirk, asking her, "Cat got the burglar's tongue?"

Kasumi recovered quickly, and retorted with, "Like they say, Shep. Try and you might succeed."

Elisira laughed out loud at this, commenting, "Burned!"

Elia took it in her stride. "Ooh, I see the cat's got claws", she said.

After a moment, both of them started giggling, and then burst out laughing.

Elisira shook her head at what was going on. This new person seemed like fun. And she'd never actually seen her sister be flirty with anyone. Maybe, this first meeting would have a good kind of significance for her.

Meanwhile, Grunt seemed very interested in a mech walking around moving crates.

Once Elia had recovered, she managed to ask, "So er… down to business?"

Kasumi was surprised. No one had elicited a laugh from her on their first meeting in a very long time. She was beginning to see hints as to why Elia's leadership skills were so legendary. The woman made you care about her, and she cared about you a great deal in return. And, she was so easy to talk to.

"I suppose you meant about the help I need? It's a heist"

"Yes, that. But first, how can you be sure that I am me. That is, I am the one you were supposed to meet. You know, how do you know that the filty bastards weren't lying."

"Filthy bastards? Oh, you mean Cerberus?"

"Yes. Actually, I'm generalizing too much. Miranda's a good egg once you get to know her enough. Prickly on the outside, but she really cares. Some others I've met are all good too. But for the most part, they're extremely shady."

"I'd tend to agree with you on that. And you should know...I didn't accept this gig with Cerberus for the credits they were offering. The credits on offer was considerable, mind you, but I made it conditional on setting up a meeting with you first. Also, it is nice to see your sister as well. The Hero of the Skylian Blitz. Both your reputations precede you."

"Nice to meet you too", said Elisira, nodding to Kasumi's image on the billboard.

"And as to how I know you're you, I read people extremely well. Side effect of being a thief, and perfecting the art as I have. There's something about you. An aura. Like you've seen and done things most people couldn't imagine. I knew straight off that you were the real deal. Couldn't have been anyone else."

"I'd say there was a complement in there somewhere, but good to know. Come on down, if you want, and we can meet in person. Little sis and I are exploring the Citadel, seeing how stuff has changed, and Grunt's never been here before, so he's a tourist. I will have to drop by at Anderson's office later to check on the old codger. If you don't feel like coming along, you can head over to the Normandy, docked in D17. Make yourself comfortable."

"Aren't you curious at all about the heist I want to pull?"

"Of course I am. But, this isn't exactly the best place to discuss it, is it? I rather fancy that I look like a bloody ass talking and laughing around a damn billboard. Enough people are questioning my sanity. I don't particularly want to provide validation."

"Oh, your sanity is non-existent. Even you should know that."

Elia considered that for a bit.

"Well, you are coming along on this little jaunt too..."

"Oh, I just meant to say that you are insane. But I never said it was a bad thing. I approve. Insane is interesting."

Shepard simply smiled at that.

-0-

Kasumi found the lounge comfortable. Drinks were close at hand. The Normandy had even requisitioned some of Kasumi's favorite amazake drink. Kasumi had reacted with no small amount of delight when she saw it at the bar. She'd poured herself a glass and settled down with one of her favorite romance novels. She wondered who'd been the one to get it.

A while later, the older Shepard sister walked in. She made her way to the bar, where she poured herself a generous measure of a red drink.

"Noverian rum?", Kasumi guessed out loud.

Elia nodded and diluted the alcohol with some water and settled down on one of the comfortable chairs next to Kasumi.

She took a sip from the glass and settled down to read something from her datapad.

Silence reigned for a time as Elia cleared off her mail.

Presently, she put down her datapad and asked, "So you do like sake!"

"How did you know?"

"I didn't. Lucky guess by little sis. The two of us enjoy sake every now and then, too. So, we figured it wouldn't go to waste even if you didn't really like the stuff."

"Very shrewd."

Elia looked around the room. She noticed how Kasumi had laid down her things and started getting comfortable there.

"So you've claimed this for your personal quarters?"

"I suppose. You did say to make myself comfortable."

"I suppose I did. I wouldn't have minded this room myself. Don't get me wrong - my room is a lot more spacious. Only Eli and I have our rooms up there, and I have my own washroom. But, the downside is that the booze isn't as close at hand. Ah, well, maybe I can filch some for my personal supply cache."

The two women settled in to a companionable silence.

Presently, Kasumi asked, "So, why Noverian rum? I personally find it rather more sweet than I'd like."

"Yeah. I developed a taste for it when I went to investigate Matriarch Benezia on Noveria. It was a lifesaver in that freezing cold place. Each time I drink it, I remember that feeling. Or something like that..."

"Ah, one of your more famous escapades. Tell me what happened."

"Well, it's a long story. I probably should get down to writing it sometime. Pretty sure I could make a bunch of money as a writer too...In any case, the summary of the story is this: I met the last Rachni Queen too and released her. She seemed peaceful...regretted what had happened all those years ago. And really, every war is written by the victors. We don't have any idea about their side of what went down...she said that their songs soured or something. To me, it sounded like other forces we didn't know about were involved. Maybe, it was the Reapers. Or something related."

Kasumi looked at Elia wide-eyed. "You think that the Rachni were forced into the war?"

Elia shrugged. "I believe that there's something off about the whole thing. The Rachni were peaceful enough until the wars. What changed? The queen said that there was some external influence souring their song. I'm inclined to believe that, after everything that I've seen."

"It would make a certain sort of sense", mused Kasumi.

"Yes, it would. We also found some interesting stuff when we were scanning their homeworld. Remnants of tech that were new...or at the very least, different from what we've encountered before."

"I see...so what else happened on Noveria?"

"We found Benezia's stronghold at the ExoGeni research facility. She was indoctrinated, unfortunately. Liara was in my squad, and had to help me kill her. I've never been good at the touchy-feely stuff, and I didn't want to make her shoot her mother. I knew she'd do it if it came down to it, and that she'd die to protect us. But, I didn't want her to come. But, she insisted quite vehemently. Tali and Garrus supported her. And Wrex even offered to let Liara go in his place. Imagine! A krogan like Wrex, a guy who could never pass up a firefight, saying that he would sit it out for Liara. It is very difficult to find me at a loss for words. But, that time...it was so unreal."

Kasumi chuckled. "So, your crew doesn't just stick around because of you, but truly have each other's backs. That bodes well for your current mission, Shep. Good to hear."

"Eh? I don't really get the point."

"It was just me, thinking out loud. Think nothing of it. Go on, then!"

"Right. So in the end, I gave in and switched to a five member squad instead of the usual four. The people at ExoGeni were quite surprised when they saw a bunch of people, each from a different species, coming to save the day. Eli had to miss it since she was nursing an injury from a trip to the Moon, or she may have joined our group too. Come to think of it now, I never did take Kaidan or Ashley out on missions much. Putting Ashley on the Normandy wasn't my choice. Anderson was fully to blame for that one. Kaidan was a skilled technician, and had reasonable control over his biotics, but unfortunately, got regular headaches as a result of his L2 implants. Tali, Eli and Garrus far outstripped him in combat tech, and for biotics, Wrex, Liara and I had him easily beat. I took him out on the less critical missions, and he did improve rapidly, to his credit. Ashley - I left on deck most of the time. She maintained the armory - ammunitions, equipment, guns. To be fair, she did that well. Took her along even less than Kaidan. She was a commando through and through. Could handle any weapon, but offered nothing much else beyond that. Liara was a reasonable shot with a sidearm, and her biotic abilities were rather advanced. She liked violence at lot more than I'd expected an archaeologist to."

"Tell me more about your old team back from the days of the initial Normandy. They sound fascinating."

Elia considered Kasumi briefly. Then she flashed her a bright smile.

"You know, you're the first one on this crew who's asked me to relive that time of my life. I'm not complaining. I'd like to know why you are interested in that, though?"

Kasumi smiled back. "Just curious, Shep. I won't be offended if you aren't willing to share. If they're too painful or something. You've just recently woken up from a two-year long slumber. Things around you have changed drastically. And well, as smart, tough and adaptable as you no doubt are, it must be hard to come to terms with your situation. Just thought I'd try and provide an ear if you want it, and get to know something about the most famous human being in the galaxy. Making friends with you doesn't seem like something I'd regret... And, if you do succeed in getting me out of my suit like you said when we first met, it would give me an idea of what I'm getting into, at the very least."

Kasumi's concern and friendliness seemed genuine. Not forced and put-on like that irritating yeoman Cerberus had inserted at the CIC. What was her name again? Chambers? Shepard found herself warming to the obviously mischievous little Japanese thief. Plus, she was totally flirting back with her, which was cool!

She produced a pack of her favorite cigarettes. The Omega Lights. She took one and offered it to Kasumi, who accepted. She lit Kasumi's and hers, and took a long drag before continuing.

"Let's see. My team. Hmm… well, let's start with the humans on it. Ash never liked aliens much. Always found her a bit irritating with her shitty xenophobia. A result of being the daughter of General Williams, the man who surrendered to the turians on Shanxi. She wasn't as bad as Pressly. But still, their sentiments are shared by the majority of the Alliance. One reason I never really liked the Alliance life. The exploring space and meeting new races part was exciting. The rest of it was a drag. Especially at mealtimes. Always could find a bunch of idiots talking trash about how humans were superior to turians or salarians and whatnot. How humanity would get its place eventually. If I'd really wanted to listen to that kind of bullshit, I'd have switched on the radio to the Terra Firma party channel. She died to save us, to ensure our success on Virmire. A model soldier. Marine, through and through. Kinda sad that I owe her my life and all I can call her is irritating. Kaidan was different, though. Judged everyone on their merits, not on their species. Have to give him props for being open-minded. And finally, my little sister, Eli. She's great. I've loved her to bits ever since our first meeting. That was about fifteen years ago. We've always worked extremely well together. Encountered each other a bunch on missions, and always synchronized our leaves so that we could spend time with Mum. She was a bad soldier. Took after me in that respect. Almost as bad at taking orders or following protocol and chain of command as I was, and butted heads with more than a few incompetent COs. Anderson managed to wrangle her into the Normandy crew, and then put her under my command. She's been with me ever since that first deployment of the Normandy about six years ago, and we've only been getting stronger. She's also one of the people who were instrumental in digging me out of Alchera and saving my life. Always was bad at giving up. Kept going at anything she put her mind to, until she succeeded. And always has my back. But, I can sense that she was scarred quite badly by the whole chain of events. I'm trying to help her out as much as I can, since I was responsible for getting her involved in this whole freaking mess. Great big sister I am!"

Shepard gave a short, bitter laugh.

"From what I've seen, she really does dote on you. And she definitely looks up to you a lot. Maybe, she felt lost without you, and the hurt of losing you is wearing off the more time she spends with you. I don't believe she'll ever complain about where she is."

"Maybe not, but still...I feel responsible for her."

"As you should. But, she's her own person and she's chosen this. She didn't ask to be the younger sister of the great Elia Albarn Shepard. Even so, she's carved out a place for herself in this crew, and by extension, this entire galaxy. Everybody respects the Normandy crew, and for good reason."

"Yeah. I don't know where I'd be without her. Or any of my crew, for that matter."

"Let's talk about the aliens you had on your crew before. It was pretty big news at the time, you know. Commander Shepard, first human Spectre, the best that we had to offer, embodying the willingness of humanity to stand with the other races. They seemed like an interesting bunch."

Elia paused to take a sip of her rum, and went on, "Liara was the bookish type. Curious to learn all the secrets of the galaxy. We found quite a few Prothean artifacts on our travels. She spent several happy hours finding out if they had any useful data. Otherwise, she chatted often with the rest of the crew. She grew close to Karin...Dr. Chakwas. They practically shared living quarters, after all. There was this one time I left my music player at her room. She discovered my old rock music collection and started playing it. Sometime later, I went by to search for it, and was looking to see if I'd left it there. I could hear her singing along to one of my favorites. Dr. Chakwas looked rather amused. She said something along the lines of, "Looks like our scientist has discovered Liam Gallagher and Oasis. Her voice is rather good, you know." I stopped short, and went, "You listen to Oasis too, Doctor?" The doctor looked up at me, smiled and said, "On occasion, yes." I went in to her animatedly drumming to the sound of Wonderwall and singing out the lyrics. I tapped her shoulder. She was definitely surprised, and more than a little embarrassed. "Discovered Oasis, have you?". "Yes, Shepard", she replied breathlessly. "Though I don't understand some of their lyrics. If I may, could I ask you what they mean?" When I nodded, she proceeded to ask me, "What kind of a supernova is a Champagne? In all my years of study, I have never heard of such a phenomenon." I burst out laughing. Oh my, Liara was such a good friend. Loyal to a fault. Little sis and she never gave up on finding me, even when everyone had declared me dead."

Kasumi could see Elia's eyes misting up. A single teardrop fell from her left eye and coursed down her cheek. She didn't seem to notice it. She took a sip of her rum and went on.

"On to Garrus. He was a 'bad turian', as he liked to say. Never liked following rules. Believed justice had to be served, no matter the cost. I had similar principles, so we got along very well. Both of us drew the line at hurting innocents. My best friend, a confidante, and someone who just seemed to understand me well. He willingly joined me on this mission too. Great shot with a sniper rifle, probably the best on the squad. Also, a lot more open-minded than the other turians I've met. Doesn't seem to have that big of a stick up his ass."

Elia and Kasumi both chuckled at that. By now, Elia had started crying softly, without noticing it. Kasumi quietly walked over to the sofa she'd sit herseld down on, and took a seat beside her. Elia didn't really seem to notice. She was far away, lost in the memories of her old crew. She took another drag from her cigarette as she went on.

"Tali was on her Pilgrimage. Took a detour to help our team with Saren, and even ended up finding some valuable data on the Geth. She told me that taking that back to the Fleet had allowed her to officially complete it. She was curious about everything. Damn talented engineer. Adams used to say she was probably better than him at troubleshooting problems with the drive core. That, coming from Adams, must have meant she was something special. She was a good friend, like a younger sister, and got along really well with Eli too. They were similar in that they felt that they needed to be guided, and were eager to learn. And finally, we come to the biggest guy on the crew. Man really had a heart of gold. Urdnot Wrex was aggressive, brash, and liked a good fight. But, he was extremely well-read, and deeply saddened by the state of the krogan. He had tried to do something to help them out of the pit they'd dug for themselves, way back. Got betrayed by his own father, and lost hope for any possibility of change after that. Still seemed to think about it a lot, though. I heard he's back on Tuchanka now, trying to unite the clans. I used to keep telling him that he should make a go of it, if he felt it was the right thing to do. Keep trying until you force the issue. And really, if anyone can do it, he can. Most importantly, he'd be doing it for the right reasons. No race deserves what happened to the krogan. Slowly killing them off, not offering them a way out. Everyone deserves a chance to atone for their mistakes of the past. For their ancestor's choices. It's a sad state of affairs. Just one more thing that shows how screwed up this fucking galaxy is. And here I am, sacrificing everything that I am like some big fucking hero to save it. Taking along a bunch of good people, possibly to their deaths, with me. They say I'm a genius. But, I really do act like a bleeding idiot. No wonder I almost died. And now, I'm working with a terrorist organization because they happen to be the only ones who take me seriously. Oh, and for good measure, they just decided to rebuild me with all these extra pieces. Somedays, I don't know what I'm supposed to be."

She had started sobbing openly by now. They were wracked with despair, with guilt, with sorrow, with loss. Kasumi felt sorry for the woman next to her. All the things she'd done, and the horrors she'd experienced. Any lesser being would have broken down long ago. A hero who wasn't really a hero. Elia didn't let it break her. She might have her moments of weakness, but really, the universe be damned if she didn't deserve them.

Kasumi leant over and hugged her. "There, there, Shep. It's all right."

Shepard continued crying on Kasumi's shoulder for a while, Kasumi simply patting her back comfortingly. Eventually, she stopped. Then, she wiped her face and looked over at Kasumi, giving her a thin watery smile.

"So much for being a badass, eh? The hero of the Citadel is a cynical, bitter and utterly vulnerable fool."

She gave a derisive snort.

Kasumi gently punched Shepard's arm. "Don't give me that, Shep. You can't save everyone. However much you try, you just can't. All the ills of the galaxy are not yours to fix. Don't be so hard on yourself. And I would have been surprised if you weren't vulnerable. Might have started doubting that you were not a robot, and actually alive."

Kasumi gave Shepard a wink. "Anyhow, you aren't alone, Shep. You never were, and looking at you, you never will be. You try to do what you can to take care of the crew, and you don't let anyone really take care of you. The entire weight of everything doesn't need to be on your shoulders. I think you should change that."

Elia turned a questioning gaze on Kasumi.

Kasumi shrugged. "I've talked to some of the crew. Grunt, Jack, even Mordin. Not so much Miranda and Jacob. I distrust Cerberus as much as you, especially Miranda. Grunt's just a kind who wants to find his purpose in all this. The way he talks about you, you'd almost think that he thinks you're his mother! Come to think of it, you maybe the krogan equivalent of one to him. Jack talked about how you gave her full access to any files Cerberus had on her, how you talked Miranda down on the issue. Nobody's ever helped her like that before with no strings attached. You told her that you'd help her get to the nearest spaceport if she didn't want to join up when the prison she was being held in got shot to hell. That tells me a lot about the way you work, Shep. Mordin was quite impressed with your help at Omega. Especially how you helped his assistant out. He appreciated that it was a detour from your prioritized mission, but you did it anyway."

Kasumi stopped to drain her amazake. Shepard did the same with her own drink. The two sat in silence for a while.

Presently, Kasumi took a last drag from her cigarette, stubbed it on the ashtray and said, "You know, everyone you're picking up, they have scars of their own. It haunts them, festering below the surface. That includes me. Even Miranda and Jacob. I can make out. You shouldn't be worried that you're the only one with something they've lost. Or that they feel regret for. But maybe, this is a place we can all begin to heal. At least a little bit. I have a really good feeling about this."

Shepard glanced over quizzically at Kasumi. "It's almost like I willingly surround myself with that sort, you know. And soon, we're going to be joined by a drell assassin, an asari justicar, and possibly an old warhorse of a merc. They should all be quite interesting. Hope we can get them to join."

"I look forward to meeting them, too. If you'll take me along, that is."

"That depends on the nature of the mission, I guess. I'm the only one who gets to go each time just because well, I'm me."

She smirked in her lopsided way at Kasumi.

Kasumi smirked back. "Just remember, Shep. I can come along if I want to. Optical cloak, remember."

Shepard suddenly became serious. "Kasumi, please don't do that, ever. What if we shoot you by mistake. Or, if we leave you behind? I'd never be able to live with myself after that."

"Why, Shep? Do you like me that much?"

"Irrelevant. You're my squad. No one gets left behind."

Kasumi was surprised by the intensity of the last statement, the conviction with which she said it. Must have stumbled onto one of her guiding principles. She considered it, then nodded.

"Just yanking your chain, Shep. I'd never do that sort of thing. I've worked alone most of my life, but I do know what it is to be a team player. To be honest, I didn't really have much to do besides going around stealing stuff. Like I said before, I took this job for the chance to work with you, and if you'd help me, a chance to gain some closure on something. Maybe, I'm trying to do something that matters. Be part of something that's bigger than me. To find meaning."

Shepard mused on Kasumi's revelation. "I'm helping you gain closure? Is that your scar?"

"You could say that. You're under no obligation to help, though."

"I want to, if you think I can."

"Thanks. Umm, maybe I'll tell you the details later. We need to go to Bekenstein. It's in a system that neighbors the Widow system the Citadel is on."

"It's nearby? Okay, whatsay we do it before popping around to Illium? Like maybe, tomorrow? Or do you need more time to prep?"

Kasumi was a bit taken aback. Her preparations had almost been complete. Fully anticipating that Shepard would agree to help her, she'd taken the liberty of having most things setup and ready.

"Just one thing. Er, I'll need your dress size. And we'll need to go to a clothes shop to get you an outfit."

Shepard suddenly looked alarmed. "This won't be one of those skimpy black dresses will it?"

Kasumi smiled evilly. "Why the alarm, Shep? It'd suit you. You're extremely attractive, and you really could have been a supermodel if you'd wanted to, I'm sure. And, yes, it's a black cocktail dress."

Shepard's face fell, almost comically. Kasumi felt a tad sorry for her.

"Don't worry! It'll be fun. And, if everything goes right, you'll only need to wear it for about an hour. You can be back in your armor and shooting bad guys in no time. Though, I'd prefer you keep it around. Never know when I may feel like getting you out of it."

Kasumi winked at her roguishly.

Elia blushed a little. "So, there will be shooting? Lots of it?", she asked, almost hopefully.

"I fancy there'll be quite a bit."

"That's good. How many of us going on this jaunt?"

"I want you all to myself, Shep. So, it's gonna be just the two of us."

Kasumi winked again.

"You sure? Eli and Miranda will feel much better if we brought along some back-up."

"Yes, I'm quite sure."

Shepard didn't seem convinced, but she made no comment.

-0-

"Damn that gunship. Damn that Hock! Its shields regenerate!", swore Shepard.

She gave Kasumi, who had taken up a position in cover just a few feet away, a wry smile.

"Any ideas?", she yelled.

Kasumi smiled back. "A few. I need to get close. When I see my chance, I'll take it", she yelled back.

Shepard nodded. At the very least, they had an almost unlimited supply of thermal clips lying around. They'd taken cover near a few crates. Mecifully, the Eclipse merc whom they'd displaced from that position (Shepard had shot him between his eyes with her newly acquired Locust. Kasumi had whistled in appreciation. Shepard had been rather pleased with herself too; the new Umbra Visor headpiece was working out nicely) had also been carrying an ammo box. The two women helped themselves to it whenever they ran low. Which was once every minute or so. They were picking off the mercs slowly, not taking too many risks. Shepard was using her biotic charges sparingly, and Kasumi was using her cloak-and-dagger thing only when she was absolutely sure.

It was good that Kasumi was almost as good a shot with a sidearm as Shepard. She hadn't used her shotgun for a while-not a great many chances to get up close enough. Shepard swore slightly. The new Incisor sniper rifle she had brought along hadn't made her happy one little bit. She was going to have to have a chat with Jacob on what he thought a Viper felt like. She'd believed him (without actually testing it) when he said the feel of the Incisor was similar to a Viper. When she used it, she found that the damn thing fired in bursts, like a Vindicator. Shepard hated the Vindicator, always much preferring the Pulse Rifle for covering fire. Since then, she'd totally abandoned it. Which meant that she was stuck with a sidearm SMG/Pistol combination until further notice. She trusted Kasumi though. The thief had already proved herself very resourceful. She'd be a great addition to the team.

The mission had been unlike any other Shepard had been on before. She found that she rather enjoyed not having to answer or report to anyone in particular, and running her ship in a more civilian style. The Cerberus crew referred to her as 'Commander', but she walked around in a hoodie and jeans. She had no intention of ever running any of her ships military ever again. Taylor had been surprised at that. He seemed interested in her. Well, she was damned attractive; she rather fancied her glowy scars and eyes actually made her even more striking. However, she wasn't even remotely interested in him. He was just another soldier who believed in a greater cause. The same as all those idealistic meat-heads who made it up the ranks in the Alliance. She was mildly surprised that he hadn't followed that path. Ah well, not everyone got things to go their way. Reminded her of Kaidan, only a lot less accepting, more opinionated, and more human-centric.

What had actually made him a lot less appealing to her had been the fact that he'd had the balls to tell her he'd keep an eye on her, that he had issues with certain actions she'd taken. Must have been the suicide bomb thing. That got these Alliance types worked up. Or Torfan? Maybe he disapproved of Spectres and the fact that they weren't answerable to the law. Or the fact that she got on with aliens? She didn't know, and didn't particularly care. She wasn't going to take him on missions much either - not unless it was absolutely necessary. She hadn't been particularly impressed with him when she'd brought him along. He thought he was good, and he probably was halfway decent. But, the rest of the crew wasn't just good. They were something more. He was distinctly average in comparison. Plus, she didn't like him, so that was the biggest factor.

She liked Miranda, though. She believed in Cerberus, but it was because she believed in what they were doing to protect humanity. Human dominance, not so much. But they were doing something about the abductions, at the very least. If Elia rejected consequentialism outright, she supposed she wouldn't have like Mordin either. Somehow, she respected Miranda for the conviction she had in her beliefs, for her confidence. And the fact that she'd been instrumental in resurrecting her helped too.

Kasumi's heist had been interesting. Shepard had to infiltrate a party with the who's who of the galaxy's criminals. Kasumi obviously thought that having been among similar company for so long, Shepard would be used to it, and therefore fit in nicely. She'd gone under the moniker, Alison Gunn. Kasumi had recounted in loving detail, all that she'd done to build up the legend of Alison Gunn. Shepard made a mental note to ask how she'd planned the whole charade later.

The party had been a drag, though. Kasumi hadn't even let her try the food. Kept telling her they had to get her partner's 'graybox'- some sort of a neural implant that held memories and information encrypted in them, that could only be accessed by the memories? Shepard hadn't entirely understood it, but would have helped Kasumi get it anyway, since it seemed so important to her and she considered her a friend. Kasumi had also said that the information encrypted in it could be dangerous since it contained something that could give ample fodder for a Systems Alliance-Batarian Hegemony war if it got in the wrong hands. Hock definitely fell into that category. But, still. It didn't hurt to eat some of the stuff laid out. She had forced her to wear the black dress, after all! Though, truth be told, it was a lot more comfortable than Shepard thought it would be, and the necklace was nice. Maybe she'd wear it more often. She made a mental note to ask Kasumi how much it had cost, so she could pay her back. She also had had her eye on some very inviting raspberry cheesecake. Shepard was a sucker for raspberry cheesecake. She managed to sneak some away for later consumption when Kasumi wasn't looking.

Hock was an ass. Anyone could see that. A very paranoid ass. His vault had all the security it needed, and a lot more. Only a master thief could have infiltrated it. Fortunately, Kasumi was one. They'd nullified the barriers and obtained the password simply enough. His DNA sample had taken some work. The biggest drag had been getting a voice sample. The idiot obviously liked the sound of it. He gave her, and everyone around a five minute monologue about how important they were. And, she'd been forced to applaud him at the end of it. That disgusted her no end. Kasumi had taken the opportunity to snidely comment on Shepard's ability to loosen Hock's tongue. Shepard had given her a look in return. Then, they'd broken into the vault, just like that.

The best part of it was that Shepard had finally been able to change out of her little black dress and into her combat armor. They'd walked right into Hock's trap (quite obviously; after all, no self-respecting crime lord could let their loot go without some resistance). The Locust had been a brilliant find though. It far outstripped the puny SMG Cerberus had provided her as their 'top-of-the-line'. Shepard's lips curled in distaste at the memory of the weapon she'd biotically slammed and broken against the wall, once she had her hands on her new SMG. Kasumi had also managed to get her graybox. Once she'd broken it out of its security case, they'd found out that Hock had actually wanted her to find it, so that she could decrypt it for him. Apparently, the only person alive who could open that particular one, was her. And of course, he'd intended to do it by force, and kill her (and her unknown accomplice) off once they'd served their purpose.

Eclipse mercs swarmed their position. Bad mistake. No one had realized yet that Kasumi had brought along Elia for the fight. Truthfully, Elia felt quite aggrieved at that. She had saved the galaxy after all, and let these fools continue their crooked ways. Any reasonable person would have thought that they'd be at least a tad bit grateful.

Several corpses marked the path the hooded Japanese thief and the supposedly dead former Spectre took to get to the extraction point, a dock that overlooked the sea. That was where Hock had been waiting with that bleeding gunship.

Shepard continued taking down the merc waves as they came. It was slow, painful, repetitive work. Hock and that damned gunship wasn't making her mood any better. There was a lull for a moment. The merc waves seemed to have stopped. Suddenly, Kasumi perked up, and yelled, "I see my chance."

Shepard wondered what she meant. She could see the gunship out of the corner of her eye. No use shooting at something that kept regenerating its defenses. A giant overloard would have helped, but Shepard didn't think omni-tools could output that kind of power. She certainly hoped Kasumi knew what she was doing. She then turned to watch Kasumi pull a series of crazy acrobatic stunts. She got on top of one of the pillars in the dock and jumped right on to the gunship. Shepard whistled in admiration. Kasumi mock-saluted Hock and did something on her omni-tool. The gunship overloaded itself. Shepard could sense no shields on her visor. And, it wasn't regenerating! She made a mental note to ask Kasumi about that move when she had the chance.

Kasumi had immediately cloaked after that stunt, of course. No use pulling off a maneuver like that and dying immediately afterward. Shepard fully expected her to appear at her side in due course. Till then, she fired at the gun-ship with gay abandon. Moments later, she hear Kasumi firing at it too. It didn't take them long to whittle down its defenses. Shepard then threw a powerful warp field at the rotators. It succeeded in making a huge blast where the gunship had been, with Hock inside. His squadron of gunships hadn't helped at the end. They tended not to be much use if you were dead. Still, whoever inherited Hock's assets would find them handy. Maybe, Elia could appropriate control of it. She made another mental note - this time to ask EDI for help with that. The AI would know what systems to hack and registers to update so that Elia could be the legal owner of those assets.

Shepard and Kasumi made short work of the few stragglers around the dock, before setting off toward the waiting shuttle.

The two women made their way back to the Normandy, Shepard driving this time. Shepard was a bad driver. Everyone thought so, except her. Kasumi had been contemplative when they started the drive back, lost in her own thoughts. Shepard's driving skills made that course of action rather impossible, though. She decided she'd rather drive, so that they didn't die in unmarked graves at the bottom of the sea.

"Er, Shep. There's no way to sugarcoat this. You really really suck at driving. Move over and let me drive so you don't get us killed."

"No way. You drove on the way here. My turn now."

"Yes, Shep. I would have willingly given you your turn and continued reminiscing about Keiji. But, that's hard to do, especially when I keep getting jolted. I suspect that a drunken monkey could probably do a better job driving than you."

Shepard considered the insult briefly.

Then, sorrowfully she said, "Damn it, everyone says the same thing. Even on the old Normandy, my squad would have an unspoken agreement to talk me out of driving. They always gave me gun duty. I liked gun duty, so I normally gave in. It started getting suspicious when Garrus and Wrex suggested it to me on our missions together too. Not just once. Each bloody time. I mean, Garrus? Wrex? Those guys liked guns and explosions as much as I did."

She looked at her screen. "Damn, off-direction again", and then proceeded to pull off a full speed right angled turn to her left.

Kasumi was lucky she'd put on her seatbelt. Shepard continued to regale Kasumi with stories of her crew and their missions. Kasumi found them too interesting to further press the issue of switching drivers (though she probably had several minor heart attacks along the way). Elia was incredibly good at telling stories.

A rather bumpy ride later, they disembarked from the shuttle and on to the Normandy.

"You know...I drove the entire way back. And I got us here fine."

Shepard stuck her tongue out insolently at Kasumi as she got off the elevator.

Kasumi was stunned. Shepard had tricked her! Shaking her head and smiling, Kasumi went into her quarters in the Lounge and reflected on what they'd been through. Or rather, what she'd dragged Elia through. Elia had proved herself a remarkably good friend. Possibly the first real friend she'd had since Keiji. Maybe she could make more of those, now that she'd basically decided to settle down for a bit. And get closer to the one who'd helped her, the one she felt inexorably drawn towards. The first person in ages she'd felt comfortable enough around to naturally flirt with.

She had always been a friendly, outgoing, easy-to-like person. Just never stayed in a place long enough to make any real friends. A lot of acquaintances, sure, but no real friends. Kasumi looked at the graybox. She thought for a bit, then placed it on her desk. She was too tired to look at it immediately. Besides, Elia deserved to be there when they saw what it held.

-0-

Kasumi activated the graybox. It had been plugged into the holo-projector. The memories of Keiji washed over her. In the background, Keiji's voice played. That what he found was dangerous, and that she would be in danger if she kept it. Something about a black ops squad finding something in Batarian space. Kasumi didn't care. She only cared about the memories.

She looked over at Elia after a time. She was staring open-mouthed at what she was seeing. Of course, she'd respectfully ignored the more personal elements of what the graybox held. She'd probably guessed about her and Keiji, anyway. Kasumi hadn't been particularly subtle, and hell, Shepard's IQ was off the charts. Keiji had said that she needed to destroy it, to protect herself, and to continue living on for his sake. She didn't know what to do.

Elia looked enquiringly at Kasumi. "What do you want to do?", she asked, quietly.

"I just, I don't know….", said Kasumi, unsure, and nearly in tears.

Elia briefly considered the situation, and said, "Is there any way you can separate the data, so you get just the memories, but destroy the data that was encrypted in there? I got all of it in my head, so I can warn Hackett and the Alliance what it contained. You won't be in danger, and the cross will not be ours to bear."

"No, we can't. They're tied together. My memories, his memories and the data. And, he was damn good at encrypting things. If he meant it to be this way, there's nothing much we can do to break it apart without breaking everything."

Elia looked conflicted, pained. "Damn. Kasumi, I just don't know. It's your graybox. And he obviously meant a lot to you…It doesn't feel right for me to tell you what to do, either way."

Looking at how Elia seemed to understand and even feel the pain that she, Kasumi herself, was feeling, something inside her just clicked. She would follow this beautiful, heroic being to the depths of hell. There was no way out for her, not anymore. She didn't need one, either. And so, she came to a decision regarding what she had to do with the graybox. Just leave the decision to Elia. Her leader.

"Shep, I've decided. We do what you say. You decide, and we roll with that", she said, in a clear voice.

Elia looked at Kasumi in surprise. "But, its..."

"No buts, El. I trust you completely."

She thought for a while. Then, carefully, she said, "I know it's important to you. But, he'll always be with you, Kasumi. Keiji wanted it destroyed to protect you. And as much as it pains me, I agree. If Hock could find out about it and murder Keiji, there is no telling who might come after you. He wouldn't want you to die over it, especially since well, he already did. Neither would I. You're my crew. My family. I wouldn't feel right if I told you to keep it. I'd tell you that we have to destroy it."

Elia looked troubled. Kasumi nodded and put the graybox on the table.

They just stared at it for a while.

Finally, Elia broke the silence. "Kasumi, do you want me to do it?"

Kasumi looked at her gratefully. "Please! Just do it quickly."

Elia nodded. Kasumi looked out the window at the stars beyond. Shepard did something in the background and walked up next to her.

"Beautiful view, eh?", she commented.

Kasumi turned right and looked at the woman standing next to her. She had been through things that would have destroyed anyone, she had scars that could not be healed easily, possibly not ever, and yet, she had cared enough to help a random stranger gain closure for something, just because she was part of her crew. It really did feel like she was part of her family. Something told her that she'd have done it for any of her crew, and that she probably wasn't a special case, but that didn't stop her feeling the stirrings of love for it. She put her hand on Elia's shoulder and turned her around. She pulled her face closer with her free hand. Elia stood about a head taller than her. She stood on her tiptoes and pushed forward slightly to place a kiss on Elia's lips, and found her responding. The kiss was gentle, without heat. Elia gently drew away and stared at Kasumi. Kasumi seemed slightly overwhelmed.

She said, "You need some rest. Just let me know if you need me later." She smiled warmly.

This wasn't a rejection in any way. Elia realized that Kasumi probably needed time to cool down and decide if she actually wanted to pursue anything with Elia, and Elia needed time to entertain the idea in her mind as well. Hell, she liked Kasumi, and she was unattached. Kasumi was the one person she had so far been able to find real comfort in...But, they'd not known each other too long, and she would never rush anything. Kasumi deserved time, and so did she.

Kasumi seemed to realize this as well, smiled and replied with a simple, "Thank you."

-0-

Kasumi reflected on what had happened. She'd gotten Keiji's graybox back two years after his death, and had lost it less than a week after she'd retrieved it. She realized that it was the right choice. She could let Keiji go. And concentrate on living her life without that hanging over her. She chose to start this new chapter by swearing her unfaltering loyalty and devotion to the woman who'd helped her gain closure. She'd follow her into hell, safe in the knowledge that she'd get her out. Probably…

She looked up at the stars, and said, "Keiji Okuda, I will always love you. But, I do think you were an ass for dying. I found something else to live for, and possibly someone else to be with. Sayonara…"

Kasumi smiled impishly as she contemplated what had happened, and her future. One thing was for certain - it was going to be a hell of a ride! And she was going to treasure every moment of it.

-0-


	8. Into Hell and Back - Just like old times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is about everybody's favorite turian.

This is about everybody's favorite turian.

To my endless dismay, I don't own Mass Effect. My FemShep is mine, though.

Reviews, criticism and praise all much appreciated :)

-Saving Archangel (or 'Into hell and back-Just like old times!')-

Erash. Monteague. Mierin. Grundan Krul. Melanis. Ripper. Sensat. Vortash. Butler. Weaver. Sidonis.

There was a momentary lull. Garrus Vakarian, otherwise known as Archangel, used this time to activate his omni-tool and burn Sidonis' name out. He'd betrayed them. He wanted to survive this, just so he could rip him apart piece by piece. Himself. At the very least, the asari, Weaver, one of the biotics in their group, and Melanis, his salarian explosives expert, were still alive. Barely. He walked over to the couch where he'd propped them up. They'd insisted on watching for intruders from the back. He administered some medi-gel to each one. They couldn't hold together much longer. Not unless they received proper care. Weaver had taken a rocket to her shoulder, Melanis had been bitten by two varren. Both smiled weakly at him as he examined them.

Melanis said, "So, Archangel. Got any ideas?"

Archangel said, "Just one. Keep shooting. We got a lot of thermal clips, at least."

Weaver remarked, "Wonder where you got your optimism."

"Well, when you've faced hell several times over, and survived through it, you tend to believe you can just get out of anything somehow. Maybe, its arrogance or something. The big difference is that she isn't here this time. They aren't. We were unbeatable, but it was down to her leadership. And, I'm nowhere near as good as she was. I get the feeling no one will ever be. She lost just one the whole time. All of us were prepared to die for her. But, she had other ideas. She would never ever let us. Even the last time I saw her, she made sure everyone was safe first. Then, she went and disappeared on us. I still believe that she's out there, somewhere. But, maybe I'm just living a fantasy. Some parts of her, I thought were stupid, so contradictory to her otherwise genius-level intelligence. But maybe, that's what made her who she was. None of us could forgive her. More that that, we could not forgive ourselves. Tried to go back to do something. Once you ride around with her though, everything else just pales in comparison. All the bullshit in my life was just too frustrating to deal with. Spent three months mourning. Or maybe four. Wandering the galaxy, getting drunk, getting into brawls with random people. Lost all my money, but I didn't care. Nothing fucking mattered. I'd died, my body was just going through the motions. Then, I ended up here. Don't know how. Saw a batarian extorting an old human couple. A Blue Suns merc. Shot him in the foot. He tried to hold the lady hostage. And I shot him in the head. That was the first time I felt alive. Maybe dead man walking alive, but still, there was something at least. It was so much like that time on the Citadel with the doctor. Then, I realized that she'd have wanted me to follow my gut and do something about the injustices here. She hated it even more than I did. And so, I started this. And look where we are now..."

Garrus realized he'd started rambling.

"You know, Archangel. You've told us about this woman a few times. What she meant, how she was the reason you became this. We've all heard your 'it's not about the man, but the principle' crap, and well, you actually believed it, so we let you be. Not like we didn't all have some way to rationalize what we were doing. And why. But, what made her so great? For you to talk about her like some myth? Who the hell was she? Before and if I die, I'd really like to know at least that", asked Melanis.

"I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you now. It's a dead man's memory anyway. You ever heard of the first human Spectre? She stopped Saren and the geth, saved the Citadel and the Council."

"Yeah, Archangel, everyone knows the legend of Shepard. Unless you're a senile hanar", said Weaver, impatiently.

"She had a turian on her crew."

"Yeah, I remember reading about it all. Krogan bounty hunter called Urdnot Wrex, asari called Liara T'Soni, daughter of that disgraced matriarch, I believe. A quarian, Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya, daughter of some admiral in their conclave, a little sister, Elisira Noel Shepard, the Hero of the Skylian Blitz, and probably the second most prominent human name on the STG files. And a turian, a former C-Sec detective. His name was… Vakarian. Garrus Vakarian", said Melanis.

Garrus nodded. "You're right", he commented.

Understanding dawned on Weaver. "Wait a goddamn minute. You're him. Garrus Vakarian?", she asked, astonished.

"No. Garrus Vakarian died more than two years ago. Like I said, the body hadn't caught up yet."

Melanis whistled. "The others woulda been so jealous."

Then he stopped. Silence followed.

"You know what? I'm gonna survive this just to kill that rat bastard", said Weaver.

"Easier said than done, Weaver", said Garrus, with a wry smile.

"Er, Garrus. Is it okay if I call you that?", asked Melanis. Garrus shrugged non-committally.

"Might be interested to know this. I heard something from Aria's men. Word is that Shepard showed up here, sometime back. She isn't dead. I didn't think much of it. I was with Weaver, restocking on some stuff, and the others were waiting for Sidonis and you to get back. Probably it was one reason we survived the initial attack. Don't know about whether it's true, but maybe she's looking for you?"

Garrus started laughing. Weaver and Melanis looked at him, puzzled.

"Oh, I can just imagine it happening. She'd blast her way in here and say, 'Just like old times', with that crooked little smile of hers...Spirits! I miss her so much..."

Then, he grew serious as he spied more mercs trying to get across the bridge. "Well, we better prepare for the next wave!"

"Go get them, Garrus!", said Weaver.

"And Garrus, know this. Everyone of us here, we felt like you'd given us purpose, something to live for again. You worked us hard, but we were making a difference. It sucks that Sidonis was a bastard, but you're not to blame. We regret nothing, and if we die here, just know, we did it willingly. You may not be Shepard...but there is nobody else in the galaxy who can claim the title 'Archangel'", said Melanis. Weaver nodded.

"You idiots, you're the only ones left to come take Sidonis down with me. Don't go talking like you're already dead", said Garrus. He paused. Then, "But, you know, it's been a goddamn honor."

"Likewise", said Melanis and Weaver at the same time.

An hour later, things weren't looking much better. Wave after wave. They never stopped. And now, many of those trying to make their way across the bridge were not part of the merc bands. Freelancers. Basically, fodder for his dwindling thermal clip resources. Garm, Jaroth and Tarak must have been really pissed at him. Garrus gave a bitter laugh as these thoughts went through his head. The impossible hold. He wondered how Elisira and Elia had managed on Elysium.

Melanis and Weaver were still alive, somehow. But, they'd fallen asleep. He could hear their ragged breathing. That was when he decided to do it. Call his father. He set up the comm channel on his omni-tool.

"Hello, this is the Vakarian residence", said a feminine voice at the other end. Solana. His little sister must have been home for the holidays or something. He hadn't counted on talking to her.

"Sol. Hey, it's G. Can you call dad."

"G. Seriously!? How have you been? We thought you were dead or something." The joy in her voice was unmistakable, and lifted Garrus' spirits somewhat. But, he didn't have much time.

Garrus chuckled. "Might soon be, at that. Can you call Dad?"

"What do you mean, G? And what's that noise?", asked Solana, concern in her voice.

"Not enough time Sol. Get Dad, now!"

"Not until you promise I'll see you again."

Garrus felt bad for lying to her. But, he reasoned within his mind that he considered himself dead already. A dead man's lie could not cause hurt.

"I promise, Sol. Now just get Dad."

A few moments later, Garrus' father, Castis Bastian Vakarian came on the line.

"Garrus...is that you?"

"Yup, Dad. Your prodigal disappointment of a son, here."

"Garrus, you never disappointed me. You may have done things I disapprove of, but you never disappointed."

Garrus gave a dry chuckle. "Wish you'd told me that sooner, Dad."

"You never gave me the chance. Where have you been? Haven't talked since you ran off with Shepard."

"Wait, you know about that?"

"Human Spectre, with an ex C-SEC on her crew. Turian. You think I'm stupid? I used to be one of the best detectives at C-SEC, son."

"It's been two years since then, Dad. I went in for Spectre training after the mission", said Garrus.

"Yeah, heard about that too. Seems you left after she supposedly died."

"Supposedly? You're telling me she didn't?"

Garrus' mind had gone into overdrive, at that comment from his father. He remembered his conversation with Melanis and Weaver as well, especially the part about Shepard looking for him.

"Apparently not. The Executor was complaining the other day. He hoped she wouldn't cause any trouble. He seemed pleased she hadn't come along since she'd saved the Citadel and all. Asking after you. Nobody knew where you'd disappeared to. Speaking of which, I heard you were there with her at the time. You know, when she defeated Saren" Castis sounded...proud. His whole life, Garrus had tried to get his father's approval on the things he did. Now that he'd finally gotten it for once, it was ironic that he didn't realize it. His mind whirred into a higher gear than overdrive at the new information. His father had just confirmed what Melanis had said.

How could she be alive? Was it really her? Was he dead already and this was some sort of joke the Spirits were playing on him?

His mind was brought back to the present by his father's voice. "Hello… Hello, Garrus? Don't go all quiet on me now. And, what the hell's that noise."

"A moment, Dad."

Garrus sniped two more from his perch and returned to his omni-tool. "Sorry about that. Just some target practice."

"Then call me back later!"

"It may be a little too late for that. Too many targets."

"Oh…" Castis understood.

"I just wanted you to know, Dad, that I'm thankful for everything you did, and for everything you tried to do. I realize I gave you too little credit, and didn't listen to you enough."

"Forget about all that rubbish. Focus! These targets, they're moving fast."

"So far, not fast enough. But, they're getting faster."

"And your bullets."

"A large pile left. Though it could be larger."

"Then, listen to me. Work with what you got. Keep pulling the trigger until your finger breaks. As long as you have bullets and a working trigger finger, you are going to survive. You hear me."

"I'll try, Dad."

"Trying is not good enough. You're a Vakarian. Promise me you'll come back to Palaven when you can, and that we can work this out. We have...a lot to talk about, and I have a bottle of Palaven's finest saved up for when we do."

"Haha, Dad. Ah, damn! Just a moment."

Garrus scoped in, took out two mercs. Then his scope zoomed in to the next target. And his eye saw something he thought was too good to be true. An 'N7' insignia. It was a female human, ambling across the bridge. He lifted his scope up.

It was her sister! Elisira, with her pigtails bouncing up and down. She looked...happy. The last he'd seen of her, she'd been completely broken. She had a group with her. He scoped into see the next person.

Then, he saw it. The Spirits had not been playing a trick on him. Elia Albarn Shepard, the Butcher of Torfan, first human Spectre, the Hero of the Citadel, in the flesh. It really was her! More scars, wearing a different headpiece (looked like a pair of night-vision goggles). But it was so definitely her! She wore her hair differently, and had different companions (Apart from her sister, there was a human woman in hooded armor, a salarian- wait, was that the crazy doctor from the slums!? And a krogan. Not his friend, Wrex, though.) She made her way purposefully across the bridge, carrying two pistols (looked like Phalanxes from where he was sitting), picking off the mercs in front of her. She was helping him! Garrus just wanted break into song right then and there.

He suddenly realized that his father was still on the other end, waiting. "Listen, Dad. I'll come as soon as I can to Palaven. And I won't forgive you if you open the bottle without me."

His father sounded slightly confused. "Something happened?"

"The odds just got a lot better."

"Good to hear. I'll let you get back to it, then! Bring you crew along. I'd like to meet them sometime. In any case, Castis out."

His father cut the line. Garrus was mildly surprised. He was quite sure his father had guessed what had made the odds better. Still, it was puzzling. There was no time to muse on it now, though. He went back to sniping his other targets with renewed vigor. Had to show her he was still the better shot, right?

-0-

After what seemed like an eternity, a voice behind him asked questioningly, "Archangel?"

He turned back. He had his helmet on. She obviously couldn't recognize him. She had one of her guns pointed at him. He held up a finger to indicate he needed a moment, and then sniped the target that'd had the misfortune of appearing in his scope. Then he got up. His legs felt weak. Using the rifle as a support he walked the two steps to the couch. He perched on top of it and removed his helmet.

"El", he said. "I thought you were dead."

Elia threw up her hands in genuine delight, and said, "Garrus!"

Elisira exclaimed, "It's really him!"

Their voices were the same. The krogan, the other human and the salarian all simultaneously stopped pointing their guns at him.

"You know him, Shep?"

"Yes. It's Garrus, from my original crew on the Normandy!", said Elia, excitedly.

"Ah. Heard Archangel turian. Also knew you had turian in squad before. Exceptional sniper and combat engineer. Also, heard reports that Archangel had similar attributes. A decidedly welcome coincidence for you", said the salarian.

"If he's fought with Shepard before, he is my clan", said the krogan.

"But, what are you doing here, Garrus?", asked Elisira.

"Just keeping my skills sharp, Eli."

"Good to see you staying in shape", commented Elia.

"Haha, figured you'd need me sooner or later. Can't be part of your team without being the best."

"Good point. You knew I was back?"

"No, not until Melanis told me the rumors, and my father confirmed it moments before I saw you coming across the bridge."

Elia laughed. "Sounds like a story. I'd also be interested to know exactly how you got all three major merc bands pissed off enough to work together to take you out."

"It wasn't easy, Shepard. I really had to work at it."

"I can guess. Why Omega?"

"Criminals aren't that hard to find. Just need to point my gun and shoot."

Elia could sense that Garrus had changed. He was still cocky, took every chance to insert a one-liner in, and still had the same warmth, the same friendliness and camaraderie, that she had felt from their time on the previous Normandy. But, he had changed. There seemed to be a deep-seated sadness under all that. However, this wasn't the time to dwell on that. She had to get him out alive. No way she was going to let her turian die on her now! She could ask him about everything later.

He seemed to read her mind. "Tell you what, we get out of this alive, and I'll tell you the entire story. In the meantime, do you have a medic?"

"Mordin is a skilled doctor. We thought you might need some patching up."

Her eye fell on the salarian and the asari sleeping on the couch.

Pointing at them, she asked, "They your friends?"

"Weaver and Melanis, both part of my group. Again, a long story. Can you do something for them?"

"If anyone can keep them alive, it's Mordin." Turning to Mordin, she enquired, "Think you can do something for them?"

Mordin went over to Melanis first. "Wait, I recognize him. It's Melanis. STG. Worked together a few times. Explosives expert. Heard Archangel had one. Sounded like his work. Guessed it might be him. Too busy in clinic, so could not verify. Varren bites. Hmm, touch and go. But he always was tough. Hope this helps." He used his omni-tool to administer some medication to Melanis and swished it over the place the varren had bitten him. He went on, "Good. Responding well. Should be up in a bit. Now onto other patient."

Garrus asked, "You knew Melanis, Mordin?"

"Yes, yes. Can talk about it later. Merc bands attacking. Need to protect your friends. Inappropriate time. Need to concentrate. Asari. Bad injury. Shoulder. Hmm, can stop blood loss. Prevent infection. Internal bleeding. Hate to see that. Still, good vitals, considering. Have time. Need to get her proper help fast. For now, can do this."

He did something with his omni-tool again, swishing it over Weaver's affected shoulder. "There. Will be out for forseeable future. Must move carefully. Medical care ASAP. Can go to clinic. Daniel quite capable. Can help me. Or Normandy. Chakwas quite capable also. Either one."

Mordin looked over at Elia. Elia looked at Garrus. "Well, you heard him. They'll survive for a bit, but we need to get out fast. Oh…"

Melanis had woken up, and used his elbows to sit up and look around. He looked a tad bit frightened, looking at all the well-armed newcomers, but relaxed when he spied Garrus at the far side of his couch.

"I guess that these guys are helping us, seeing as you're still alive and no guns are being pointed around?"

"Yes, Melanis. You apparently know the doctor."

Mordin raised his arm in greeting. Melanis nodded.

"And this is Elia Albarn Shepard. I was just telling you about her."

"Wait, what...This person is Shepard. Shepard! Oh my, you weren't joking, were you!"

Melanis was practically squeaking. Seemed like a slight case of hero worship. Garrus permitted himself a wry smile.

Elia walked up to him. "Technically, there are two Shepards here. I'm the older one. Elia."

"And I'm the younger one. Elisira", piped up Elisira.

"Thanks for keeping Garrus alive all this time", said Elia, taking his hand and squeezed it.

Melanis was stunned. He just nodded. "Mmmm..my pleasss..ure ma'am", he stammered.

Elia nodded. "Well, Garrus, haven't introduced you to my new team. Not all of them are here, but this is Mordin, as you might have guessed. The krogan is Grunt, and the female in the hood is Kasumi. You already know little sis, of course."

"Nice to meet you, Garrus. Heard a great deal about you", said Kasumi, smiling warmly at the turian.

"Shepard's clan is my clan. She only picks the strongest. I shall enjoy fighting with you, even though you are turian", said Grunt.  
Then, he gave a little laugh. At least, that's what Garrus thought it was. The sound was rather scary.

"The pleasure's mine, Kasumi, Grunt", said Garrus, inclining his head at them in turn.

Elia smiled at the scene.  
Then, she turned to Garrus and asked, "Down to business. Garrus, any ideas?"

Garrus smiled and reloaded his rifle. This was exactly like old times. Well, Wrex wasn't here. Nor were Tali and Liara and Kaidan. But still.

"Well, the bridge has kept us safe so far. Funneling those witless idiots into scope. But, it is a two edged sword. We'll get slaughtered if we try to get across. So, I suggest we bunker down and take out as many as we can. Wait for a chance to bug out, and take it when it comes."

"Or, we could just wipe them out. When I signed up for the job to get to you, I talked to the leaders, Garm, Jaroth and Tarak. They planned to end Archangel today, and they'll get personally involved if it comes to it. We could finish them off here and now, once and for all."

Garrus positively smiled. It felt weird. The muscles that he used to carry out the action felt like they had not been used in a very long time. "That sounds good too. Taking out a load of bad guys, against the odds. Just like old times, ehh."

Elia laughed, and went on, "Eclipse was supposed to be up first, then the Blood Pack, and finally, the Blue Suns. So, do you think we just take up positions here and shoot anyone who tries to make it across?"

"Pretty much. I can do some pretty serious damage with this rifle."

He smirked at Shepard. Shepard raised her eyebrows in mock-exasperation.

"There are five of you…", began Garrus.

"And me", piped in Melanis.

"You can't fight, Melanis. You're injured", said Garrus.

"I don't fight on the field much anyway. I'm the explosives expert, remember. I could make something that goes 'Boom'. I like explosions!"

Elia walked up to him, thoughtful.

"Hmm, you got anything I can use on the fly? Like mines we can setup in advance as traps?", she asked.

"I'm an explosives expert, ma'am. That means, any type of explosive", replied Melanis.

"Good, then if it won't strain you too much, can you make something that'll stick on to a surface and explode if someone comes near?"

"Like a sticky grenade?"

"Grenades are too obvious. Why I suggested a mine."

"A mine, hmm? Proximity mines attached to your omni-tool. I have a program for it and can make a few. Sound good?"

"Yes. Try to augment it with something that causes snap-freezing or burns."

Melanis' brow furrowed. "Hmm, I could do that, yeah. Need some time, though."

"Just try and do as many as you can, and don't injure yourself. Mordin, keep an eye on the two of them, will you."

"Of course, Shepard. My patients. Would recommend Melanis not strain himself. But, special situation. Can't be avoided. If he does anything too hazardous, will sedate him immediately. May paralyze him first for good measure, though. Wouldn't want struggling", said Mordin, nodding.

Melanis looked slightly concerned at Mordin' rather blunt, and completely unveiled threat.

Shepard laughed and said, "He's just looking out for you, Melanis. And, I happen to agree with him."

"Okay. Fine. Er, mind telling me why specifically cryo or incendiary augmentations?"

"The Blood Pack. Mainly vorcha and krogan. They have armor and they regenerate naturally. Make it easier for us if our explosions not only damaged them, but also spewed out stuff that made sure they couldn't do that, right."

Understanding dawned on Melanis. "That is quite brilliant", he said.

Elia smiled. Mordin commented, "Older Shepard's IQ is off the charts. Genius by human standards. Actually, by any standards. Especially in matters of combat. Hear good ideas to improve efficiency of destruction from her all the time. Not surprising."

Garrus looked at Mordin. He seemed an extremely interesting sort. Especially, the way he spoke.

"I'll take that as a compliment, Mordin", said Elia, smiling.

Mordin nodded, slightly more vigorously this time.

"Okay then, back to the plan. Eclipse seem to be up first, like you said. I can see some scouts. Mechs and some troops. Here, take a look." He handed his rifle to Shepard.

"Hmm… more than scouts." She pulled the trigger. A mech fell back, its head missing. It blew up and destroyed another mech next to it. Damaged some of the surrounding mechs and troops too, according to Garrus' visor.

"One less now", said Elia, simply, handing Garrus back his rifle.

"So it is", commented Garrus, before going on, "Well, as I said before, I'll stay here, and snipe away to glory. You...you can do what you do best."

Elia cracked her knuckles and said, "Okay, let's spill a little merc blood. Just like old times, eh, Garrus."

Garrus smiled.

Elisira said, "Okay, Garrus. You can patch in to comm channel Styx 622, we're on that frequency."

"Got it."

"Okay, Sumi dear (Elia had taken to calling Kasumi 'dear' every so often...the two had begun seeing each other...or what counted for it, at any rate, after Elia had helped her gain closure on Kasumi's recently deceased former lover's greybox), stay up here and help Garrus, overload those Eclipse bastards as much as possible. All of them use shields. A few flashbangs won't be unwelcome either. Stay on the cryo rounds."

"Got it, El", said Kasumi, taking a position near a window in the same room.

"Grunt, you're moving out with me. We'll hit them from mid-range downstairs, and put any mercs who get through down into the ground."

Grunt made that laughing sound again, and said, "Sounds good, Shepard."

"You won't be able to charge much now though. Save it for later. Keep blood rage under control. If your armor goes down, you need to let it regenerate. Okay?"

Grunt's face fell a bit. Then he brightened and asked, almost hopefully, "Do I get to burn them at least?"

Elia considered it. "Freeze 'em and burn 'em at the same time. Not a bad idea at all. Never tried it, but worth a shot." She smiled indulgently at Grunt. "Yes, we can do that, Grunt."

Grunt brightened up considerably. He stomped his feet on the ground. To Garrus, it looked a lot like an exchange between a child and a parent. He caught Kasumi's eye and looked at her enquiringly. She just smiled and shook her head in response.

Elia turned to Garrus. "Garrus, do you have modded rounds?"

Garrus shook his head mournfully. "No, I don't. Our munitions specialist died not long ago."

"Ok. You're on cryo, like Kasumi. That okay with you?"

"No problem."

"Mordin. Just watch over Garrus' friends. Pull off a few rounds or incinerate them now and then if you feel like it."

"Of course, Shepard."

"And Eli, find a perch up here and provide covering fire."

Elisira nodded. "Right. Assault turrents and holo-drones on flamethrower duty."

"You read my mind, little sis... All right, we all have our assignments...Stay safe and we'll get through this in one piece. Let's go, Grunt."

And so, she went downstairs with the krogan. Garrus patched into their comm.

"El, I had a question for you."

"Go on, Garrus."

"What's tiramisu?"

Kasumi answered before Elia could. "Tiramisu is an Earth dessert. From Italy. Has biscuits, cheese, coffee and egg yolks in it. Several layers. Kinda tasty, but I never liked it much."

Elia said, "Yeah, sounds about right. Always seemed like glorified cheesecake to me. And coffee flavored at that. Now, I'm a fan of coffee and cheesecake individually, not so much when they're together."

"Yeah, Shep only likes her cheesecakes with raspberries."

A pause. "Nice shot, Grunt."

Elia asked, "You noticed that time, huh?"

"Of course I did. The optical cloak and my reputation aren't only for show, you know", said Kasumi, laughing.

"Wait, El likes raspberry cheesecake?", asked Garrus.

"Yeah. Anything wrong?", asked Elia, slightly defensively.

"Not at all. Something that happened on the SR-1 just made a lot of sense", said Garrus.

"Hmm, something I should know about?"

"Nah, nothing important."

"Take your word for it."

A pause. They continued taking out wave after wave of Eclipse merc with precision and ease. None of them made it even halfway past the bridge.

"So Shep, how'd you drag Garrus along before?", asked Kasumi.

"Yes. Interesting question. Meant to ask you myself. Original mission to hunt Saren. Saren was turian. Garrus turian also. Reinforces belief that Shepard trusts the individual, not the species. Not normal for human, no offense. Would like to know why, if not prying too much", said Mordin, joining the conversation.

"Don't know how to answer that, honestly. Like Mordin implied, mild xenophobia is the norm in the Alliance. Little sis and I are different, but there it is. I hated it with all my heart. Maybe, why both us didn't make any real friends as marines. I grew up on a pirate ship with a rag tag crew of mercs, and saw many worlds. I was left to my own devices a lot...Not many people know about my history, since the Alliance covered it up. But, these last 2 years aren't the first time I was considered 'Killed In Action'. Mother was a bit of a hero in the Alliance. Too bad I didn't know her growing up. Or Eli. Maybe things would have been different if I had. People thought I enlisted to follow in Hannah Shepard's footsteps. I didn't. I did it for my friends, but that's a whole other story. In any case, I've come to value everyone for who they are." Shepard sounded thoughtful.

A pause. Three more Eclipse troops fell.

Then, Elia went on, "As for how Garrus got dragged along...well, he forced me to drag him along. Back then, I didn't go around recruiting. Tali, Wrex, Liara and Liara too. They all insisted on coming with me, in being part of my crew. Little sis was already on the ship with me, and refused to accept any assignments away from me. Kaidan, Joker, Dr. Chakwas and the rest were all posted on the ship. Ash was kept on by Anderson to replace Jenkins, I guess. Make up the numbers. I didn't feel like kicking her off. She wasn't too bad a gunnery officer, so I just let her stay onboard."

Another pause. Kasumi said, "Well, even without going through the trouble of searching for guys to bring along, you still managed a pretty impressive team...Just damn! Impressive!"

"That's big sis for you. Stay around her too much and you'll be fully willing to risk your life on a daily basis. Possible cardiac arrest by letting her drive? Sure! Shoot down several hundred Geth to save a colony? Why not! Go in a ground vehicle through a prototype mass relay to save the Citadel and delay the Reaper invasion? Absolutely! All in a day's work!", said Elisira.

Everyone laughed. That included Mordin and Grunt, who hadn't really participated much in the conversation.

"Last incident Elisira referenced was interesting. I did hear about the prototype mass relay on Ilos. A personal reminder to ask about it later. Warning in advance, Shepard", said Mordin.

"Acknowledged, Mordin. Funnily enough, I meant to discuss it with you myself sometime."

A pause, longer this time. The newest merc wave had a lot more specialists coming through - vanguards and engineers that weren't the easiest to take down.

"Mordin, incineration blast on my 3 if possible", said Kasumi.

"Acknowledged", said Mordin, before obliging with a blast from his omni-tool.

Screams could be heard, as Mordin's rather powerful assault burnt them to a crisp. He calmly went back to watching over his patients.

"Thanks a bunch", said Kasumi, before throwing in a flashbang to disorient the four mercs left standing on the bridge.

Garrus sniped one. "Scratch one!", he exclaimed.

A moment later, one more fell. "Make that two!", said Shepard.

"And three", grunted Grunt.

The final merc, a vanguard, got up and braced for attack. Elisira took her down with four bursts from her Locust (a copy - Elia had refused to part with the original from the Hock mansion). "And one for me!"

Jaroth appeared at the other end of the bridge. Elia felt like she knew what was coming. She smiled inwardly. Jaroth and Eclipse were going to be very unpleasantly surprised.

A heavy mech appeared at the other end of the bridge.

"Damn, he's sent out his heavy mech", said Garrus.

"Stating the obvious there, Vakarian", commented Elia.

"Though if it makes you feel better, that problem should take care of itself", said Elisira.

She paused. "Just remember, whoever it kills get attributed to me. I hacked the bloody thing after all", she added.

"Hey, I hacked the door", said Kasumi, indignantly.

"Yeah, then you went and got engrossed in the shiny datapads lying around", said Elia, snorting.

"I transferred most of the credits to our shared Normandy account. Only kept some for me", said Kasumi, a little defensively.

"I noticed that", said Elia.

"And not even a 'thank you'. Hmph! You guys are so ungrateful!", replied Kasumi.

"Well, if I hadn't hacked the mech, there's a good chance we wouldn't have been able to use those credits", put in Elisira.

Kasumi scoffed. "No way. Shep and I took out a gunship with just a pair of side-arms each. Don't tell me a big old mech is giving you cold feet now. Plus, there are more of us this time."

"Yeah, but there weren't three armies of bloodthirsty mercenaries to deal with. Just an over-staffed security detail", retorted Elia.

"I disabled a gunship too, you know", said Garrus, conversationally.

"Yeah, and it was being repaired. It'll make an appearance too", said Elisira, giving an ominous chuckle.

"I suppose you did something about that too", said Kasumi.

"The mechanic was working too hard. Big sis decided that he needed to take an enforced break."

The comm channel went silent for a time, apart from exclamations every now and then from the fighters.

Suddenly, a salarian came into view. Garrus' visor picked up a majorly upgraded defense system - high shields, high armor.

"Seems like someone important", shouted Elia.

Garrus scoped him out. "It's Jaroth", he said, voice betraying some choked up emotion.

"Heard you were acquainted. You killed his brother apparently", said Elisira.

"I did? When?", asked Garrus.

"Last week, he said", put in Kasumi.

"Hmm, let me think...Wait, so that guy was his brother!?"

"One of the reasons he wants you dead", said Elia.

"Looks like he's personally entering the fray, Shep," interjected Kasumi.

"Kasumi, Garrus, Eli, concentrate fire on him. Don't let him across. We'll take care of anyone else", barked Elia.

"Affirmative", the three chorused.

Jaroth found himself simultaneously the centre of Elisira's, Garrus', and Kasumi's undivided attention. He didn't last long. He fell, halfway across the bridge. The other Eclipse mercs who'd accompanied him were quickly disposed off.

They waited for a minute. No one seemed to be trying to get across.

Garrus spoke into his communicator, "El, meet me upstairs. We need to prepare."

"On the way."

-0-

Well, they'd killed Garm. Like Garrus had said, the krogan leader of the Blood Pack on Omega had been a freak of nature. The man regenerated at an unbelievable rate. Of course, he had made the mistake of picking on Grunt. Grunt had brought up the rear on their way up, dealing with the vorcha who accompanied Garm. Elia had left him to it, and cloaked her way into cover in the room she'd found Garrus, the room to which Garm had chased him down. As Grunt entered the room, Garm turned his attention towards him, and went off into a full-blooded charge on him.

Big mistake. Nobody picked on Elia Albarn Shepard's krogan boy and got away with it! So, she'd told Kasumi and Garrus to overload the bastard's barrier, and then, she biotically charged him in return, before pulling off three incendiary rounds from her Eviscerator right on his face. Then she proceeded to reload her shotgun, cloak, then pulled off another devastating biotic charge cloaked. A charged biotic punch to his neck, three more incendiary rounds to his face, and Garm moved no more.

Of course, pulling off that series of stunts had left even Elia out of breath. She sank to the ground to rest awhile. Two biotic charges in quick succession tended to do that to anyone's system, even one as augmented by synthetic and cybernetic implants as hers.

Grunt got up, walked up to her, and offered a hand. She accepted it and got on her feet.

"Umm...thanks", he said, looking at his feet.

Elia used a hand to turn his face up, and said, somewhat sternly, "Don't look down when you talk to someone, all right. You don't bow to anyone. And really, no thanks necessary."

Grunt nodded, looking abashed. Again, anyone would have been struck by the thought that it was almost like a child being told how to behave by a parent.

Meanwhile, Garrus and Kasumi were still staring at Elia, stunned. They were trying to process what they'd seen just moments before, when Elia had literally torn apart Garm. Mordin was calmly checking over his two new patients. Elisira gave a whistle of appreciation, exclaiming, "Great going, big sis!"

Garrus was first to shake himself out of his state of shock. "Well, I knew you were crazy, El, but I thought you had at least some sanity left. Looks like almost dying took even that away."

"Yeah, you realize that patience isn't the greatest virtue when the bloody galaxy's in danger of being obliterated any second and most people around are too stupid to realize it", replied Elia, drily.

"You seem to have picked up a few new moves."

"Yeah, I have. Cerberus hooked me up with some prototype biotic implants. They're far more advanced than any stuff the Alliance had, and probably outstrip even the asari ones. A normal human would probably fry if they tried using them, though."

"You're anything but normal", said Garrus, laughing.

"Yeah, that's true. Even more so, now. All these implants and extra bits they put in...Before, I was easily the most powerful biotic in the Alliance, even with the L3 implants, and I never experience anything other than fatigue while using them. I was lucky. A lot of human biotics suffered worse than Alenko even, and they used the L3s."

Garrus recalled how Kaidan Alenko suffered migraines on a regular basis. He had felt sorry for the human - Wrex, Shepard and Liara far outstripped him as far as biotics went. In combat, he specialized only in sidearms, and that limited his usefulness in several situations. Plus, his tech abilities were just about average, and nowhere near Elisira or Tali or even Garrus. His headaches also tended to lay him low often. In the end, Elia had used him only sparingly during their missions. She had never really liked Williams much, so most times it had been Shepard on the ground with three or four of the others-Tali, Wrex, Liara, Elisira or himself. Apart from that memorable occasion on Ilos when all six of them had gone to take Saren down before Sovereign/Nazara began the invasion.

Elia went on, "Now, my biotics probably goes even with the strongest asari warriors in terms of power. Aleena also made sure I got the best training I could, with as many flavors of the uses of biotics as possible. All the training that a krogan battlemaster or a turian kabalim or an asari huntress goes through, I did. All the drills and the exercises. It was...fun in a way. The Kaitlyn's crew was an interesting bunch." She shrugged.

"So Shep, what now?"

"Yeah. What do you think, Garrus? Only the Blue Suns left."

Garrus considered for a moment. "Well, they have the biggest group, numbers-wise. But it is nothing we haven't seen before. I suggest we…"

He was cut off by Tarak's voice booming over the loudspeakers of his gunship, "Archangel! You think you can screw with the Blue Suns!"

Garrus narrowly got out of way of Tarak's frenzied gunfire. The others took cover behind couches, cupboards, any solid structure they could find. Elia glanced around and realized that Mordin had actually foreseen such an event, and had kept Melanis and Weaver out of harm's way. He put shields up around them using his omni-tool. Tarak's gunship dropped off a few waves of mercs, all of whom they were able to take care of, with relative ease. Then, it looked like he'd retreated.

Everyone began to move to get a better angle to look at what was happening outside.

Suddenly, the gunship reappeared, and Tarak fired off two rockets. One completely missed everyone, but the other came right towards Elia.

Garrus yelled, "El! No!", and jumped right in its path. It hit him squarely on the face. He fell. Tarak saw him fall and then started shooting at him mercilessly.

Elia screamed "Garrus", in anguish, and summoned a big blue orb of biotic energy. She gave a giant roar and threw it at the gunship's rotors, following it up with two missiles from her own launcher. The gunship exploded.

Elisira immediately rushed to Garrus' side once they'd made sure the coast was clear. Elia followed soon after. There was blue blood all around him. The sisters willed him to be alive, to breathe. Just one breath. Show some life, damn it!

Kasumi and Grunt walked up as well.

"He looks bad, Shep", said Kasumi, worriedly. Elia looked at her. Her eyes were quite obviously filling up with tears.

Suddenly, Garrus' chest heaved. He was alive! His blue eyes looked up at the sisters.

"Garrus! We'll get you help. Mordin, we need to get him back to the ship! Come with me!", said Elisira, seeing that her sister was rubbing her face furiously, trying to compose herself, and filling in for her.

"Certainly, younger Shepard. But what of Melanis and Weaver? They are stable for now, but they need proper medical care soon."

"Kasumi, Grunt, you're on that one. Kasumi, you know the way. Mordin will give you directions on the same comm channel in case you need them on the way. Take them there and talk to Daniel. And big sis is coming with us", said Elisira.

"Yes. When you reach, ask him to call me", said Mordin.

"Leave it to us, Eli", said Kasumi.

Elisira setup a comm link with the ship, and said "EDI, I want you to have Dr. Chakwas on standby. Garrus needs medical attention."

"Understood, Elisira."

Everyone got busy with their assignments, as Elia took a deep breath and pushed her almost-breakdown to the back of her mind. She helped her sister put Garrus on a stretcher she'd found, and took one side of it. She gave her sister a grateful look and mouthed a "Thank you". Her sister simply smiled back.

-0-

"He's going to make it, big sis. There's no need to worry", said Elisira cheerily, as she entered Elia's room. Once they'd reached the Normandy and made sure that Dr. Chakwas had stabilized Garrus in their med bay, Elisira had forced her elder sister to go up to her room to rest and let her keep an eye on things.

Elia just lay down on her bed, staring off into space. She saw Elisira come in, but didn't change her troubled expression. Her eyes looked red and puffy. She had obviously been crying.

Elisira walked over to the bed and lay down right next to her. She gently cuddled up to her older sister, and started playing with her hair. This was the way they'd always comforted the other when one was feeling down. The feeling of simply relaxing and taking in the the warmth of someone who loved them unconditionally was therapeutic.

Presently, Elia spoke up. "Garrus almost died today...And right in front of me too."

"It was close, but we got out, like we always do. That's the important thing."

"Will we, though? Do you really have that confidence, even now?" She glanced at her little sister, uncertainty plain in her countenance.

"Yes. Everyone does. And even if any of us didn't make it tomorrow, we'd still not rather have had it any other way." She looked evenly back at her older sister.

A bitter laugh. "We've not even begun our war in earnest and we're already facing these situations. I nearly die and come back to find that nothing has changed. No, things have actually gotten worse."

"That's bullshit and you know it, big sis. Just walk around the ship and see all the people who follow you wherever you take them. And willingly, at that. There's more people who support you from the sidelines. Everyone knows the score. It's a fight for survival. You take the victories you get, however pyrrhic they may be, and know that no one else can ever claim do any better."

"Is that really true, though? Am I really the one who has to do this? Go through all this hard shit? All my life, my crewmates have inevitably become my family. I've seen loss, sure. Jake. Martin. Even Jenkins and Ashley. Those are events that I just had to accept. Each one took its toll. But now, the stakes are just so much higher. I realized that I started being affected by all this a lot more as soon as I settled down as Anderson's second. Things got even more real the day he gave me the first person under my permanent command."

"Me."

A nod. "Yes, my own little sister. That's when I swore to protect my squadmates with my life. They are my closest family. And I owe them everything. Despite all the crazy stuff I get up to, everyone's always there backing me up. I really don't get it, sometimes. There's a million different safer places everyone can be."

"So, why do you think that we aren't in those million safer places? Some misguided sense of heroism? Maybe. To make a real difference? Possibly. Whatever the reasons we may have had, we're now here and fully committed. The mission is of galactic importance, sure. But let's face it, a very big part of why everyone is here is you. Even without military ranks or ceremony to hold you up, you are always going to be our leader. And we are your people."

"That's what I don't get. Today, when Tarak fired off that missile, it was coming in my direction, sure. But, I could have blocked it. Instead, I almost lost my best friend just because he decided that he needed to dive to block it. I am not some fragile thing that needs to be handled. I am not weak... Just because I was gone for a while, it doesn't mean that you have to take stupid risks for me. It is frustrating as fuck. I just don't know why he'd do that!"

"Because he could never live with himself knowing that he let something bad happen to you. And it isn't just him. All of us have this unspoken agreement...that we will never again lower our guard. Never again will we let you get hurt...Do you know how painful it was for all of us to lose you for the last two years? That wound...that you inflicted on us...that we inflicted on ourselves. It was so very deep...Garrus preferred to make the jump to ensure your safety simply because he'd rather not be be alive and risk losing you again. That doesn't just go for him, either. I don't know if you ever realized this, but we all love you. Ever so fucking much. We would willingly die to keep you safe...You see, every one on the original Normandy crew, and especially your ground team, fell apart completely after we lost you. We couldn't forgive ourselves. We had all failed to do the most important thing. And that was to ensure that you were safe. I can tell you it was the darkest period of my life. So dark that I still have nightmares about it. And Liara, Wrex, Garrus, and Tali as well...not a single one of us could accept it...We tried to move on, but none of us really could, I think. Getting you back, seeing you doing your thing again...it's the only way we could even start to heal. The process is slow...some days, I don't believe I have my big sister back...But at the very least, it's happening. And now that you're here, there's this unspoken agreement between everyone who served under you before. We cannot live through losing you again, and hence, we cannot ever let it happen again."

"But...why? I'm supposed to be the one protecting my crew, not the other way around! It's painful for me to watch any of you get hurt..."

"And you think we don't notice that? Have you ever stopped and wondered why people follow you the way they do?"

"Well, yeah...but I'm never able to think of any reason why."

"It's because of you. As a person, as a leader, and as a friend. You have never cared about where anyone came from, only about what they do. That's freeing. In a conventional military, the ones whom you get put under are seldom like that. Even the ones who are reasonable are nothing like you. You treat your crew as your family. You love us all, and it shows. Always going out of your way to do stuff for us, protecting all of us like this mother bear while we're out in the field. Just today, you went into this crazy-destructive-person mode as soon as you saw Grunt get hurt. The same thing happened when Garrus was injured, too. You feel pained when we bleed. You cry when we get hurt. And you always put yourself on the line for us. Once anyone sees someone do that, and care so much about them...there's just no helping it. You're our leader for life."

"I just do what I'm supposed to-"

"That's total bullshit, sis. There isn't any 'supposed to' in this. You don't need to be a bleeding hero, sacrificing so much, for literally no thanks. You don't have to lift a finger to save innocent people like you do. The majority of the people in this galaxy just continue on with their lives, and sleep uninterrupted while all the shit goes on around them. You chose to do this because you couldn't just let things be. And you didn't force this on any one of us. We follow you because we choose to. There's nowhere else we'd rather be."

"But people got hurt because of me. I can't-"

"NOBODY GOT HURT BECAUSE OF YOU, YOU BEAUTIFUL, HEROIC, SELF-SACRIFICING, STUPID, OVERGROWN CHILD. YOU CANNOT SAVE EVERYONE. People WILL get hurt. And yes, they might DIE. YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT GOES DOWN. YOU ARE NOT A FUCKING GOD SO JUST STOP."

Once she'd finished, Elisira sniffed, realizing that there were tears streaming down her face, and turned away from her big sister, wiping at them furiously. "So stop trying to, all right. Just stop! It just hurts so badly when you're unhappy", she choked out.

Elia was speechless. She'd only ever seen Elisira this worked up twice before, after the events of the Blitz, and after Virmire. Her little sister was now crying. It was soft. Quiet, understated. It was just like her to bottle everything up inside. The two long years Elia had been away had hurt her. She hugged her sister tight, playing with her hair and whispering nonsensical comforting things into her ear.

Eventually, Elisira stopped crying. She turned around, disturbing their embrace as little as possible. Light blue eyes met the dark blue ones with an amber core.

Elia smiled at her wanly. "Hey there, little sis."

Elisira ran her fingers along the scars that lined her older sister's face.

"So much hurt. And pain. No one should have to go through as much as you have", she said, tearing up again.

"I can take it. And more. Don't worry about it so much."

"It isn't just me. All of us worry. A lot. If we don't keep an eye on you at all times, you might go and disappear on us again."

"I'm sorry about that. I'll try..."

"Don't you dare say you'll just try, big sis. Just do."

A chuckle. "I promise."

"Is it a promise you can keep this time?"

A meaningful glance. It was answered with a sigh - the memory of a promise made over fifteen years prior recalled. It was the first time they'd ever met each other.

"I'm sorry. For breaking that. For being such a bad big sister."

"Bad? Who ever said anything about that? You're the best big sister anyone could ever hope for. Just...make sure you don't break your promise again...And there's something else..."

A brighter smile. "What's that?"

"This..."

Elisira took Elia's face in her hands and gave her a soft kiss right on the lips. Elia was too stunned to respond initially, but she did, after a time. It felt...right.

Elisira looked sadly at Elia. "I love you, big sis."

Elia looked back at her, wide-eyed, still processing the turn of events.

"Finally!", exclaimed someone. It sounded like...Kasumi.

Elia looked up in shock. Elisira let out a sigh.

"Kasumi. De-cloak, please. We have to talk."

Kasumi swore, then came into view at the foot of the bed.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I just had to open my big mouth."

Then, she looked at both sisters, and said, "I can explain!", holding up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

Elia sighed this time. "Go on, then."

Kasumi put her hand down. "Er, what?", she asked, puzzled.

"Go on and explain", said Elia, raising her eyebrow at her.

"Oh! That! Yes...right! Umm...I came up to check on you. We got back from Mordin's clinic. Weaver and Melanis are stable, by the way. Dr. Chakwas told me that Eli had come up to check on El because El was feeling down. When I came up here, the door was open. So I came in. And walked into you two talking. So I just stayed quiet."

"You were cloaked the whole time, I suppose?", asked Elisira.

Kasumi gave a nervous chuckle.

"It's a bad habit she has. I'm beginning to think she has some hardwired reflex that causes her to do it, considering the number of times it has already happened", supplied Elia, sighing again.

Kasumi gave Elisira a ghastly smile. "What El said...But I'm so sorry! Not that you two were making up and making out. Or doing whatever you two were doing. But, Eli knows that I totally wanted you two to get together. When Eli kissed El, I couldn't contain myself...Anyway, sorry. For interrupting, I mean."

"Wait, what!? You talked to my little sister about her wanting to kiss me?", asked Elia, incredulously.

"Uh, yeah? There were serious sparks flying. Like lovey-dovey ones. It was the picture-perfect happy ending for all involved. I really like happy endings, by the way...Why do you ask?"

"Because we're sisters, Sumi. It is considered taboo and stuff, you know", explained Elia.

"It's taboo? But you two obviously love each other. Ooh! She could totally be our secondary", said Kasumi, clapping her hands together.

"Wait, what? Secondary?", asked Elisira, confused.

"Polyamory, little sis. Sumi here is a very caring, deeply loving person. But since she happens to also be a lecherous old man at heart, and has the hots for you as well as me, she sees this as a good opportunity to be together with the both of us. Or something", said Elia, shaking her head.

"Eh? Together with you? Like, romantically?", squeaked Elisira.

"Yes, romantically", affirmed Elia.

"So, like. Big sis and you and me?", asked Elisira, looking at Kasumi.

Kasumi gave Elisira a bright smile and nodded her head. "Yes! Exactly! I've always known there was just something between you two. This energy. Electricity. So much mutual love and adoration."

Elisira considered it. "That actually sounds like something...nice. Umm...what do you think, big sis?"

Elia groaned. "I don't know what to think. Some days, I wonder what I've woken up to. My sister actually loving me. A cute Japanese chick cloaking to watch me in the shower. It's a fucking madhouse."

She took a deep breath before going on.

"But you know, I've always loved you, and I'd do anything for you, Eli. And I'm getting close enough to Sumi that I can...trust. If you want to try, then I'm all in on it."

"So, it's settled then!", exclaimed Kasumi, clapping her hands together excitedly.

"We still have to punish Sumi, though", said Elisira, lips curling into a wicked smile.

"Agreed", said Elia, mirroring her sister's expression.

Kasumi's smile froze in place as she realized just how much trouble she was in.

-0-

Garrus Vakarian awoke from his slumber. He sat up and looked around the room. He was groggy, similar to the state he put himself into the five months or so after Shepard disappeared, before he found purpose in Omega. A perpetual state of numbness, drowning sorrows in alcohol at any time of day, anything to make him forget the injustice, how powerless he had been, and the fact that the guiding light in his life, the one who'd finally given him a chance to do something that mattered, his mentor, was possibly dead. From the ashes had risen Archangel, and Archangel had died recently. But Garrus Vakarian was alive again. And Garrus Vakarian didn't feel too good. He looked around groggily. He felt a sharp, shooting pain at the right side of his face. There might have been pain elsewhere, but the pain there blotted everything else out.

"Ah, Garrus. You're up", said a familiar sounding voice. Human, feminine, rather motherly. Dr. Chakwas. He hadn't gone much to the med-bay at the Normandy, but a familiar voice was welcome. He looked around to put a face to the voice, and spotted her getting up from her chair and approaching him from across the room.

"Dr. Chakwas?"

"Good to see you remember. Welcome to the new Normandy, Garrus. Good to see a familiar face."

"Likewise, doctor. So, I'm on the Normandy and Shepard's alive."

"Yes, Shepard was rebuilt by Cerberus. She's working with them to stop the abductions on human colonies in the Terminus Systems. If reports are to be believed, over a million have already been taken."

"Cerberus?"

"Yes, Cerberus, incredible as it sounds. However, Shepard has been clear that she's only working with them because they're taking the threat seriously."

"I suppose she'll tell me all about it. Should be fun." Garrus paused. "Why are you here, though, doctor? As I recall, you were part of the Alliance."

"Ah, yes. I took an extended leave of absence." Dr. Chakwas paused. She went on, "Elia commands loyalty from many people, Garrus, not just those who fight on the battlefield by her side. Her actions prevented our destruction two years ago. We risked everything to go after Saren on Ilos, and Shepard did not betray our trust. I haven't forgotten that, and I do not like how the Alliance and the Council have brushed off all her warnings. The Reapers are coming, Garrus, and we need Shepard then. She needs to believe there are people who do not doubt her, that she isn't alone in the fight. Joker is here on the Normandy as well. It is unfortunate more of the old crew didn't leave their posts, though. Shows what a fickle thing loyalty is." Dr. Chakwas sighed. "At any rate, she has you back as well, Garrus. She has a lot of doubts, a lot of pent-up frustration. Anyone who wakes up from a two year slumber to find everything she ever knew changed would react that way. Please do what you can to put her at ease."

"Understood, Doctor." He paused, and then went on. "I remember being pretty badly banged up. How long have I been out?"

"About two days. That reminds me, I promised to call Elia down as soon as you were up."

"Elia?"

"Shepard. You don't know her full name?"

"Ah yes. I recall. Elia Albarn Shepard."

"That's it. Most people tend to forget her given name. More than half the galaxy knows the legend of Shepard. It feels almost wrong to address her as anything else."

"I know the feeling", Garrus said, laughing. He immediately regretted that.

Dr. Chakwas saw Garrus wince after laughing. "Ah, I must warn you, your face was….not in a pretty state when you came in. We used cybernetics to put it together. It needs some time to completely heal, so I'd suggest you exercise caution."

"Yes, Doctor, I think I'll do that."

"There are also pain meds on your side table. Take them if the need arises. Shepard will be here shortly."

So saying, she walked out of the med-bay. Moments later, Shepard came in, dressed in a hoodie and slacks. "Ah, good to see you up, Garrus."

"I'm surprised. You show up at the oddest times. Not complaining, though."

"Well, I asked around for you. Nobody knew where the hell you were. I was equally surprised you were Archangel."

"Yeah…. By the way, how bad do I look? I forgot the ask the doctor."

Shepard considered him. "Hell, you were always ugly, Garrus. Slap some face paint on, and no one will know the difference."

Garrus laughed, then regretted it again. "Ah damn, I gotta stop doing that. Apparently, my face is barely holding together as it is."

"Yeah, using it to block rockets isn't the best way to take care of it."

"Only to make sure it didn't hurt you."

"I appreciate the thought. Though, I'd have deflected it. Biotics, you know."

"I'll keep that it in mind the next time rockets come at me."

"Just looking out for ya, mate."

Garrus then became serious. "Shepard, you sure about this, though? Cerberus? Really? Remember those sick experiments they were doing?"

"Yeah, I know. I don't trust them, but well, they spent good money bringing me back, building this ship. They seem to be serious about stopping the abductions. I'm sure the Illusive Man has some sort of hidden agenda. As long as our interests intersect, I'll work with him." She laughed-a bitter, cynical laugh.

"Not like the Alliance or the Council takes anything I said seriously anyway. Everything I ever dug up, swept under the rug as soon as I disappear. Figures, I guess. People cling to what's familiar; want to believe the galaxy is safe, that it will always be safe. No need to cause mass hysteria over the allegations of a rogue Spectre and her motley crew."

"That was one reason I came to Omega, Shepard. Too much bloody politicking. I thought Spectre training would be different, but there's politics there too. Too much procedure, red tape."

"I guess I gotta be grateful to Hackett and Anderson. They gave me extremely high levels of operational freedom. The Council, Nihlus, they'd had their eye on me since I passed the N7 program. After the Blitz and Torfan, they took notice. Still dragged their feet over it. Spectres don't normally come from non-council races."

"Yeah, you're a trailblazer, all right." They sat together in silence, as they often did on the old Normandy. Just enjoying the quiet, each other's company. They'd been extremely close on the old Normandy. Often-times, they'd fight over new mods or guns like a pair of siblings. Shepard won most fights, of course-she was the one paying for them. Which was fitting, considering that Shepard probably filled the older sister part of the dynamic. Come to think of it, she'd been close to all of them, Wrex, Tali, Liara (much more than just 'close' to Liara). She hadn't gotten along too well with Ashley. With Kaidan, it had been a little weird. He was obviously infatuated with her, but her direct approach to solving problems, which often involved violence, did not sit particularly well with him. Shepard always tended to the dark side in situations that weren't entirely black and white. She used intimidation where persuasion might have worked. She had exceptional persuasion skills, but seemed to prefer the other route as a matter of course. She was an enigma, one that few truly understood.

Garrus then turned serious. "Shepard, I guess you have a mission to do and you need a good squad. You came to recruit Archangel. You needn't ask if I want to come. I'd follow you anywhere."

Shepard smiled. "I was working my way around to it. Didn't know how to bring it up. But, since you've solved that problem, I'd like to officially welcome you to the team. Rest up, I'll brief you tomorrow." She stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Yes, I'll get Jacob to attend. Struck me as bit of a xenophobe. Put him in his place. See you then!"

Garrus nodded.

-0-

Jacob Taylor briefed the scarred turian on their mission. He was part of their crew, their team, but he had deep misgivings that Shepard's personal attachment to this man had blinded her to the obvious risk that his injuries would prove him a liability rather than an asset. It was Shepard's team, but it was his ass on the line. He meant to make his reservations known.

Shepard entered. "Jacob, I assumed you've briefed Garrus?"

Garrus and Jacob nodded.

"Good, I'm sorry I didn't do it myself, Garrus. Dr. Chakwas was being a little fussy about a gash on my arm. So, any questions?"

"Where do I put my things?", he asked.

"Hmm, you can be the gunnery officer. When you're not on missions with the ground team, the ship's guns will be under your charge, as will the maintenance of the Kodiak and the Hammerhead. Similar to what you ended up doing on the original Normandy. Will that be acceptable?"

"Of course."

"Good. Then set up in the Main Battery. I got your stuff from that apartment on Omega; it'll be delivered to your room shortly. Also, we can dock and check up on Melanis and Weaver, if you'd like."

"I'll just get set up and then, I'd appreciate the chance to see them."

"That'll do splendidly. I had some business with Aria too. I can finish that up."

Jacob cleared his throat.

"Yes, Jacob. Anything to add?"

Jacob chose his words with care. "I would like to raise the issue of Vakarian's suitability as a crew member on the ship. Despite his history, his activities on Omega were questionable. He sustained heavy injuries on top of that. I don't believe you should let the fact that he served with you before blind you to the possibility that he might be a liability."

Shepard folded her hands. "Your concerns are noted, Taylor. Now, let me make this perfectly clear. I am working with the Illusive Man and Cerberus only because our goals coincide at this point. That means I have had to accept Operative Lawson and you on my crew without my opinion being asked. The other individuals I'm recruiting are filtered by the Illusive Man and compiled in the dossiers he sends me. These dossiers provide information on only the very best. All that was known of Archangel were his actions on Omega. What he did was something I would have done myself in that position. Before he was Archangel, Garrus Vakarian was an important member of the squad that brought down Saren Arterius. I'm sure you've read the files. Even before that, he had several notable cases to his name as a C-SEC detective. I believe his achievements justify his position in this crew. In addition, he has my implicit trust, something you have not earned yet. So, the next time you tell me what you believe I should or should not do, please remember your position. Are we clear?"

"Perfectly", said Taylor. He hadn't been expecting an outburst as caustic as this. Some of Shepard's insinuations riled him, but he could not argue with what she said.

"Now, Garrus, get ready to go in an hour. Oh, and what's your opinion on the Widow Anti-Mat rifle?"

Garrus' eyes gleamed. "The M-98 Widow Anti-Material Rifle? Shepard, that's like that HMWSR you got for me before."

"So, you think you could use it."

"Shepard, that rifle is a beast. I'd give anything to get it."

"Good. Jacob, place a requisition order on an M-98 Widow rifle. Let Garrus know when it gets here."

This was too much. An M-98 cost upwards of a million credits. No way Jacob was going to accept this without question. "Ma'am, an M-98 costs a lot. Is the investment wise?"

Taylor's attitude was beginning to piss Shepard off. He hadn't made a sound about Massani's suitability for the mission. The fact that his mental state and motivations were highly questionable hadn't occurred to Taylor. What a goddamn prick!

"Cerberus doesn't need to pay for it, Taylor. I have rather significant personal resources. Forward the bill to me."

Jacob was stunned. He managed to nod weakly.

"Anything else?"

When there was no response, Shepard said, "Dismissed. EDI, ask Kasumi and Miranda to be ready. Might as well be careful around Omega now that we decimated their gangs. We're going to be checking on Garrus' surviving teammates and picking Mordin back up from the clinic."

"Understood, Shepard."

-0-

Weaver and Melanis seemed to be healing splendidly. "Garrus", they both said excitedly when they saw him approaching their bed.

"Weaver, Melanis. Seems like Shepard wasn't exaggerating about Mordin. How are you two?"

"We're good, Garrus. Goddess, feels so weird knowing that I was working with the turian who was with Commander Shepard. Why didn't you ever tell us?", asked Weaver, trace of annoyance in her voice.

"Well, didn't think it mattered."

"Yeah, I guess. Anyway, heard that the merc bands were severely weakened after the fight. Jaroth, Garm and Tarak all dead. I'm supposing you had something to do with that."

"Well, a little. Mostly down to Shepard and her squad."

"I saw her in action. She charged Garm and incinerated his face with a shotgun blast", said Melanis.

"Whoa! That's insane. I remember that the dude had some crazy regen ability", said Weaver, genuine impressed.

"That isn't the half of it. I took a rocket to my face, courtesy Tarak's gunship, and she took it out with a missile and a biotic blast."

"That probably explains the bandage."

"Yeah. It's healing well, though."

"So, Garrus, if we may ask. What's next for us? For you?", said Melanis.

"Look, we were largely successful in what we set out to do. But, the cost was too fucking great. Nothing can bring any of the others back, and Sidonis is still out there. I need to make sure that coward pays."

Melanis and Weaver nodded.

"You guys can take all the money we made. I don't need it, and you could put it to better use. I'm going with Shepard on a mission, and well, if Shepard's involved, you know it has to be something big. All I can say is that was an honor to work with you two. I hope we can work together again someday, but now, I need to go. I really am sorry."

"No apologies required. You gave us a chance to do good, to make a difference, Garrus. For that, you have our gratitude. And, we're sure that you'll make Sidonis pay for what he did. It was a pleasure serving with you, Archangel", said Weaver.

"So, where do you go from here?"

"We'll stay on Omega, try to help the clinic however we can. Mordin suggested it actually. Keep the mercs off the doc's back. Improve the supply chains. Try to get help to as many as possible", said Melanis.

"No retirement?"

"Never", said Melanis, emphatically.

"Not while there's still stuff we can do to help. You've turned us into regular scouts, Archangel", added Weaver.

"Glad to hear it."

"Well, I've gotta get back with Mordin. Shepard sends apologies that she couldn't come to visit this time, but the next time we're in Omega, she promised you guys drinks at Afterlife."

"Of course. Let us know when!", said Weaver.

"Later, guys. See you when I see you", said Garrus.

Garrus spotted Mordin near the exit, and the two made their way out of Omega's slums.


	9. Dying man's purpose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I always liked Thane's character. And hated the fact that ME3 did almost nothing to expand his story.

-Dying man's purpose-

"Shepard?! But, you were dead!", exclaimed Nassana Dantius.

"Looks like I got better", said Shepard, shrugging. She heard movement above her. The assassin, presumably. Nassana and the four Eclipse mercs who surrounded hear appeared not have heard. Shepard was sure that Garrus had heard as well, turian hearing being what it was. She wasn't so sure about Grunt. She'd heard it only because Miranda had put some cybernetic implant in her that improved her hearing senses rather spectacularly. Keeping track of all the upgrades Miranda had made to her made Elia dizzy. It was like her dear XO had treated her as her personal pet project, like she was Dr. Frankenstein and Elia was her monster. Now that she considered it, the analogy was rather apt.

She holstered her gun, sure the assassin would notice. He was supposed to be a master of his craft after all. Grunt and Garrus kept their assault rifles trained on the mercs.

Nassana paced behind her table, agitation apparent. "Must be one big joke to you. Kill my slaver sister, then kill me", she spat.

Shepard's features hardened. "Yeah, kinda wished I'd killed you back then. Several innocents died because of you. And not just today."

"Oh, you have no right to preach. You're a killer too. What's the difference between us?"

Shepard sighed, and shook her head. "The fact that you don't see the distinction speaks volumes. I kill people because there's no other choice. Because more innocents will die if I don't. You kill people because you think they're beneath you. Like your life has a value much greater than theirs."

Nassana laughed. "The strong dominate the weak. I have power and I wield it. Maybe I can offer you a trade. Is it credits you want?"

"Why am I not surprised to hear that from you?" Shepard fished a packet of cigarettes out and lit one up. She took a long drag from it and exhaled slowly.

She looked at Nassana and gave her a crooked smile. "You really are paranoid. You still think it's me who's after you?"

"I'll pay you double to go kill the person who sent you instead. You said you don't kill unless you have no choice. Well, you have a choice this time", she said, somewhat triumphantly. Like she believed it might save her.

"All the credits in the world won't save you, Nassana. And, I'm not stopping what's going to happen even if I could. But, if it interests you, I'm interested in the one who's going to kill you, not in you as such. You're kinda uninteresting… no offence." A sound came from above, louder this time. Shepard suspected the assassin was ready to pounce. She concentrated so she could see him in action.

-0-

Thane Krios had been watching the exchange between the two women in silence. The human woman intrigued him. She led two well armed allies, a turian and a krogan. When his target identified the human as 'Shepard', Thane's mind went into overdrive. Commander Shepard of the Normandy? There'd been rumors that she wasn't dead. The turian councillor had even tried hiring him to dispose of her. He'd refused. He had meant to end his life on this mission. That didn't seem like much of an option now.

She was beautiful. Red hair, with streaks of purple, worn medium length, a figure that would be considered attractive by any standard, eyes that would have been a piercing, clear blue if not for the glowing orange tips near the centre, features that added to how striking she was, rather than diminish it. Her face had several glowing scars, the same colour as the centre of her eyes - no doubt the result of cybernetic implantation.

He dragged his mind back to the present. At the very least, he'd do what he had gone there to do. The rest could wait.

-0-

"What do you mean…." One of the asari commandos let out a cry. "What?", asked Nassana, impatiently. "I heard a noise", the commando said. "Find out who it is.", and turning to Shepard, "And you, stay there. I'll deal with…"

It happened within the span of a few seconds. A green figure landed softly on the ground, and biotically pushed the nearest merc, an Eclipse trooper out the window. He swiftly took out his side arm and fired two shots precisely at the head of the other merc on his right. The two commandos who were on Nassana's left were soon dealt with too, one receiving a biotic punch that broke her neck and the other shot twice in the centre of her head. Finally he grabbed Nassana's hands and held them behind her back. She struggled weakly before he pointed the gun to her heart and pulled the trigger. Nassana stopped struggling. He held her body and placed it carefully on the table. He clasped his hands and seemed lost in thought.

Shepard stood silent for a while, content to take the two final drags on and finish her cigarette. When the drell did not acknowledge her presence for about half a minute, she stubbed her cigarette and decided that he'd drifted off. From what she knew, they often did.

She walked up to the table. "Er, hello. I just went through a lot of trouble to find you. Not that I didn't enjoy the fight, but it gets tedious after a while, you know. That aside, I was hoping for a moment of your time."

Thane looked up. "My apologies. Prayers for the wicked must not be ignored."

Shepard glanced at Nassana's body, and then at Thane, who was eyeing her with interest. "You or her?"

"A surprisingly insightful question. Why do you ask?"

Shepard shrugged. "There are several religions in this galaxy, and none that I follow or believe in. All of them seem to agree that killing is a sin. I've read that drell are rather religious as a race. Your use of the word 'wicked' created the doubt. The one you killed was certainly wicked. But, you also performed an act that could be construed as 'wicked'. Hence, the question. Just academic interest at this point, but something that could help me understand you better. Which might prove important in the future…"

Thane turned his back on Shepard. He looked at the setting sun atop the Dantius towers.

"It was for me. So, you wanted to meet me. Here I am." He turned back to face Shepard.

"So it seems. You know who I am?"

"Until recently, it was believed that you were deceased. Commander Elia Albarn Shepard, former Alliance, the Butcher of Torfan, first human Spectre, savior of the Citadel. Several other notable accomplishments besides, but I do believe I covered your more famous escapades."

"I guess that's about right. Though, I don't hold a rank any more. I don't believe I ever will."

She paused, considering something. Then, she shook her head, and said, "Look, I have no better way to ask. I have a mission, and I need you along."

Thane inclined his head. "I'm listening."

Shepard took out her packet of cigarettes and offered one to Thane. When he waved it away, she shrugged and lit one. She looked out the window and took a long drag from it.

Presently, she began her explanation. "There's a race called the Collectors. They're abducting humans by the hundreds of thousands from colonies in the Terminus Systems. I'm working with Cerberus and the Illusive Man. I don't expect you to trust the organization. I personally don't. But, they're the only ones doing anything about it. My job is to put together a team, go to their home-world and wipe 'em out."

"Attacking the Collectors would require passing through the Omega-4 relay. No ship has ever returned from there."

"No shit. They said it was impossible to go to Ilos. I drove a land vehicle through a prototype mass relay to save the Citadel. I released the last of the rachni queens. I destroyed an ancient mind-controlling plant. I've also come back, supposedly from the dead. Twice."

"I see where you're going. You have built a career...no, a life out of doing the impossible."

Shepard took another drag on her cigarette, before commenting, "If you asked Miranda, she'd say two lives. Or maybe three. I've never actually died ever, though."

Thane considered Elia's proposal in silence. Not a proposal, strictly, more like a request for help. "These people, they are innocent, yes?" Shepard nodded slowly, unsure of where he was going with his question.

Thane let out a deep breath. "I am dying. I hope to make the world a brighter place before I go. Your mission will do nicely."

"I hadn't heard that. Is it the breathing condition common in your species? What was it…. Karpin's, no, that isn't it… Kepral's Syndrome?"

Thane raised one his eyebrows a fraction. "You surprise me. I didn't know that the Shepard was so well-read."

"Oh, I'm full of surprises. I remember things rather well. And, what do you mean, 'The Shepard'. Make it sound like I'm some urban legend…"

Thane considered this. "To answer your query, yes, it is. I do have Kepral's Syndrome. And yes, you are rather legendary, are you not? Almost mythical, a goddess among mortals…"

Shepard laughed. And then, suddenly seemed to realize something. She indicated her half-finished cigarette and asked him, "I apologize. I should have been more considerate. Does the smoke bother you?", she asked, with genuine concern.

Thane waved away the apology. "No, it does not affect me in the slightest. I daresay I could take up smoking without worry, if I so desired. However, it wouldn't really have the desired impact for me. Nicotine does nothing for our nervous systems. And, Kepral's Syndrome is exacerbated by exposure to high levels of humidity, not by simple air pollutants. But, I would prefer not to tempt fate."

"I see. Well, if it bothers you at all, do let me know. To me, it's a bit of a habit…Miranda and Kasumi keep telling me to cut down. 'Rank chimney' is the term Kas uses to describe me. Though, she keeps mooching off of me whenever we're together...which is almost always. Ah well, guess it helps that I get a free supply."

"If I recall correctly, it is detrimental to your health, is it not?"

Elia nodded. "Yes, but fighting through an army of mercs on an almost bi-weekly basis can't be considered good for you, either. Many things I do aren't exactly uplifting for my health, so I figure it doesn't really matter if I add one more to the list." She took another drag from the cigarette and exhaled. "Besides, Miri hooked my body up with all these crazy implants when she rebuilt me. I don't think I'll feel the ill-effects much… And it's a neuro-stimulant, makes you more alert."

Shepard went on, "But I digress. From what I can see, your illness obviously hasn't slowed you down much, yet. The turian councilor did ask you to take me out. That tells me you're still one of the best there is. So, do you want to come along?"

"How did you know about the turian councilor?"

"I am rather good at hacking. I needed more proof of your credentials, so to speak. Call me egoistic, but when I saw that you were recommended to the good councillor to kill one of the most dangerous people in the galaxy, I had all the proof I needed."

"You consider yourself dangerous?"

"You don't?" Thane didn't really have a reply to that. "So, will you come?", asked Elia, again.

Thane considered for a moment, and then seemed to come to a decision. He walked up to Elia, and held out his hand. "I will work for you. No charge."

Elia took his outstretched hand and gave it a firm shake. "Welcome aboard, Thane Krios."

-0-

Elia took a rather sadistic pleasure in putting Taylor his place. He thought he was so competent, so smooth. In her eyes, he was just a regular soldier. He reminded her of Williams and Alenko, who were, in her opinion, the weakest links on her previous squad. Back then, she hadn't been particularly happy about being saddled with them, their frequent and insistent questioning on why she didn't pick them as often as she did Wrex, Tali, Garrus or Liara adding to her general displeasure. Ashley's xenophobia (which had admittedly improved somewhat before she went and died on Virmire) and Kaidan's infatuation with her, (which had led to more than one scene on the ship-they had come to blows once when he made a snide comment about Liara's relationship with Benezia; Shepard had won that round without using her considerable biotic ability, though Alenko had thrown everything he had at her) did not make matters any better. Still, she owed Ashley for saving her life. Kaidan, not so much. But, he had been a comrade-in-arms. Nothing was lost by being civil.

Back to the present. She entered the comm room, where Jacob was bringing Thane up-to-speed on the mission. As Elia entered, she perceived a certain tenseness in the atmosphere. Taylor being difficult about mercenaries again, no doubt.

Elia addressed Thane. "So, Mr. Krios, has Operative Taylor brought you up-to-date on what we've learnt?"

"Please, Shepard. Call me Thane."

"In that case, Thane, you're free to call me Elia or El. Or Shepard. Or any other nickname you think of. As long as you don't reference my middle name, you shall come to no intentional bodily harm by my hand."

Thane chuckled, and inclined his head. "I will keep that in mind. And to answer your question, yes. I have been given the required information. And, I would like to reaffirm my commitment to you and your mission. My gun is yours."

"Thank you, Thane. I appreciate it."

Taylor couldn't contain himself. "Yeah, if you can trust an assassin not to stab you in the back."

Shepard turned to Taylor. "Yes, Taylor. You have concerns? You don't trust our newest squad-mate?"

"I don't trust mercenaries. An assassin is simply a precise mercenary. He may derail the mission."

Thane replied, "I have given my word to Elia. My loyalty is to her and her alone. My arm is hers, to use as she sees fit."

"I don't know about you. I just don't trust individuals who are loyal to nothing but their next pay-check."

Shepard faced Taylor, her eyes blazing. Or blazing more than they normally were. To Thane, it seemed like her orange scars grew slightly redder when she got angry or stressed, or felt any other negative emotion strongly. He thought they were beautiful.

When she spoke, her tone was icily polite. "Operative Taylor. It may interest you to know that Thane has agreed to work for me, free of charge. Miranda used the funds set aside to pay him to upgrade our armor with trauma modules and to obtain shield piercing mods for our SMGs. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you're still paid a handsome salary by Cerberus. By your own argument, Thane is more trustworthy than you."

"Ma'am, I er…"

"So, Operative Taylor, the next time you want to shoot your mouth off about trust and ability and suitability for this mission, do remember who's in-charge. And think about why that person is in-charge while you're at. Of course, any issues you may have with the one in-charge can be taken up with your boss. And believe me, I don't give a rat's ass if your boss thinks I should do things differently, and he knows it, and he won't waste his breath because he's reasonably smart, but that shouldn't stop you from trying your luck."

Taylor looked at Elia, utterly defeated. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I was out of line. It won't happen again."

Elia's gaze softened. She chuckled. "Somehow, I doubt that, Taylor. Word of advice: don't make promises you can't keep. Dismissed."

Taylor saluted and made his way out of the room. Thane watched him go, expression inscrutable. Elia sighed and leaned on the table.

Thane commented, "You do not seem to like him much."

"You're not the first one he expressed reservations about. He had the gall to question Garrus' ability and loyalty too."

Thane slipped into a trance-like state. He spoke in a voice not unlike a VI reeling off facts from someone's bio. "Garrus Vakarian. Turian. Sharpshooter and Combat Engineer. Recommended for Spec Ops Delta Team training. Recommendations blocked by Detective Bastian Vakarian of Citadel Security. Joined Citadel Security at 21, built a reputation for being a brilliant case man, but considered rash and hot-headed. Left to join the crew of the SSV Normandy under Commander Elia Albarn Shepard, the first Spectre from the non-Council races. Accepted for Spectre training in the aftermath of the Battle of the Citadel. Discontinued training and disappeared six months later. Current whereabouts unknown." Thane came out of the trance-like state. '"Ah yes, I see. The turian who was with you on your most famous escapade?"

Shepard nodded, then asked, "What's Spec Ops Delta? You mentioned it when you went into that trance."

Thane looked surprised. "Hmm, I am surprised you haven't heard of it. The Spec Ops Delta teams are widely recognized as the best operatives in the turian military. It is somewhat similar to the human N7 program; of course, the N7 program is much more gruelling. Further, it is more a training program meant only for the purpose of training alone, not for identifying leadership or the other things the N7 seeks to achieve."

"You know of the N7 program?"

"It is widely acknowledged as the most difficult training program in the galaxy. An attrition rate greater than 97%? By the last count, I believe only 33 have ever been awarded the honor."

Thane paused. He thought for a bit, and then went on.

"You, however, made a mockery of even the N7 program. Completed it in 67 days. Your 32 compatriots from the same program must feel like they've achieved nothing. Personally, I don't believe anyone with half a brain would like to be your enemy, Shepard."

"Is that why you didn't take the turian councilor's job?"

"Possibly a part of the reason. But, not the overriding one."

"Which was?"

"You cause chaos, Shepard. People who've interacted with you are changed by it. But, from what I've read, and believe me, I got to read a lot about your exploits, you exist for chaotic good. You see the world in grey, but your unique sense of justice permeates your actions. Or, so I believe. Being in your employ will let me see how accurate my perceptions are. In the end, I believe that what I do is for the greater good. Assuming that I would even be able to eliminate you, it would not be a desirable outcome for the universe. Or, I suspect, for me."

"You know the Shadow Broker? I guess that's where you got the intel?"

"I know of whom you speak. And yes, I have done business with him. But, nobody knows who or what he is. I would be interested in an opportunity to destroy him, however."

"Why mention that particular desire?"

"You would likely not ask questions without cause. I assume you want to hunt him down. I would like to make you aware of similar desires from my side."

"And how do you assume I want to hunt him down?"

"Dr. Liara T'Soni and you have a history. I know of her ultimate aim in being an information broker. I based my suspicions on conjecture. You have proved they were not unfounded. Again, I reiterate- if possible, I would appreciate the chance to help you when you decide to take him on. Doubtless, you will at some point. I have no doubts you will succeed as well. Your enemies have a consistently high mortality rate."

"Good to hear. I suppose I'll get an idea of your reasons for this particular bit of murderous intent in due course."

"Oh?"

Elia flashed Thane a crooked smile, and Thane almost felt his heart stop.

"Any preferences on where you would like to reside for the duration of our jaunt?"

"If at all possible, a dry place would be welcome."

"EDI?"

EDI piped up over the intercom. "The Life Support Deck is maintained at a markedly lower level of humidity than the rest of the ship."

Thane looked up at the intercom thoughtfully. Then, he turned to Shepard and asked, "An AI?"

Shepard nodded slightly. Thane turned back and bowed. "EDI, was it? My thanks."

He walked out of the room.

EDI commented. "He seems quite civil."

-0-

"Shepard, you sure you'll be safe? I think you should bring somebody along for back-up. What if Thane's son had to take out some mafia boss or something? At the very least, put your armor on" said Miranda, genuinely concerned.

It never ceased to amaze Thane how Shepard could get everyone to care about her, despite themselves. An ice princess like Miranda showing anything more than professional concern was testament to the bonds Shepard formed with people. And, she wasn't the only one- there was Jack, the mentally deranged biotic who probably hadn't ever cared about anything in her life, Grunt, the angry krogan who had no experience of the world, but loved Elia like the mother he had never had the fortune of having. And Samara. And Vakarian. And the quarian, Tali'Zorah. And the thief, Kasumi, his 'neighbour' on the ship, who was apparently in a relationship with Elia. And he himself, now that Thane came to think of it. Thane suspected he wasn't the only one with feelings beyond friendship for their leader. He found his heartbeat growing markedly faster whenever he was in the presence of this beautiful, terrible creature.

"I'll be careful, Miranda." Then, playfully, Elia added, "I didn't know you cared."

Miranda smirked, and shot back, "I put two years of my life into building you. I don't want to have to do it again so soon."

"Aww, does that mean you'd do it again if it came to that?"

"Of course. As our resident salarian genius is so fond of saying, 'it has to be me; someone else might get it wrong'. Next time though, I might actually put in that chip."

Shepard shot her a wounded look. "That's mean, Miranda. I'll have to detail someone to keep an eye on you before you start. Keep you in line, you know."

Miranda replied drily, "Keep me in line? You're the uncontrollable child who acts on her whims without a thought to the consequences."

Shepard clutched her chest. "Ouch. You wound me. I shall proceed to be sulky at you until you pacify me."

Miranda immediately went over to Shepard and patted her back. "There, there, little baby El. Don't cry", she said, mockingly.

Shepard then turned and swiftly deposited a kiss on Miranda's lips. Miranda looked stunned.

Elia said triumphantly, "Ah ha! Caught you out. I win, Lawson. Hand over my credits."

Miranda collected herself. "Actually, El, I believe I got the better end of the deal. Here you are, though", she shot back, and proceeded to transfer an unknown number of credits to Shepard.

"How so? You got a kiss. I got a kiss and money", said Shepard.

"Ahh, but in the long run, I'm still ahead. I've seen you naked…every single day…for almost 2 years", said Miranda, smiling evilly. Shepard coloured at the implication.

"Always gotta bring that up. Not that I'm not thankful you have, though."

"You can be sure I'm not un-thankful either", said Miranda, smirking.

Shepard reddened a little more. "Anyhow, XO, back to the matter at hand. Thane needs help. I'm helping him. That's all there is to it. I promise to call for help if it's needed later. Right now, we're just trying to find leads. It's easier if only the two of us are on it. And easier if I don't go around in full armor too."

Miranda sighed. "I didn't expect you to listen anyhow. Still, the situation allowed me to come out ahead."

"You know, comments like that prevent me from professing my undying love for you."

Miranda grew thoughtful. She said, "I love you too, El. With you being as much trouble as you are, you need someone to mother you. Or it'd be total chaos. Can't imagine how that'd work" Miranda shuddered, and waved cheerily as she left the life support deck, where the three had gathered.

Thane remarked, "She seems to care a lot for you. More than just regular friendly concern."

Elia scratched her head. "Yeah, she did rebuild me…she probably knows more about me than anyone else, and she kinda became my best friend and confidant because she's my XO. And she's way more mature than me. Hope she finds somebody orderly to settle down with. Like Liara. I wouldn't be good for her. Or for almost anyone, for that matter."

"I am certain that you have realized that many people care about you, and depend on you. My discussions with Vakarian, for example, indicated that he simply fell apart when he heard about your disappearance…"

Elia considered. "Yeah, and I can't express how sad that made me. Garrus is like a brother to me…and to hear that if caused him to waste two years of his life, even if indirectly causes no end of distress to me. I care for my crew because every single one of them puts their life on the line because I ask it of them. I try to help them because I see that they have demons they haven't been able to face, and I want to help resolve them. I figure that it's the least I can do, considering I'm leading everyone into yet another suicide mission. I almost died several times in my life, and I haven't been able to rationalize why I survived through all of it. I probably don't value my life nearly as much as I should, either. I'm no paragon of virtue. I'm certainly not the sort of person people should look to emulate… Sometimes, you just accept things because they are…"

"Sometimes, rationalization does not provide comfort. Maybe, the fact that you haven't changed yourself despite what has happened to you, retained your unique attitude despite all the trials you have faced; it may well be why you didn't deserve to die all those times, that you deserved to endure. Or even your nearest brush with death, when you disappeared for those two years. Everything you do is to protect those weaker than yourself. In a galaxy that never seems to get any brighter, you have the ability to change that. The scales need to be righted. Cerberus isn't an organization well known for its sense of justice. In this case however, I believe they served it, even without intending to, by fixing your broken body, and making you even stronger than you were before. How you accept the state of things is your own choice. I cannot predict the time and place. But I do believe you it will happen eventually."

"What makes you think I haven't accepted what has happened before?"

"Just my intuition. Everyone has doubts, and besides, I am rarely wrong. I will listen, however, to anything you have to say, just as you do for us. All of us."

Elia considered. "Later. Thanks for asking, though. Let's concentrate on your son. When Bailey mentioned Mouse, your reaction was interesting. Do you know him?"

"I might. I was on the Citadel often in the past. I used to know a boy named Mouse, a 'duct rat', as Bailey referred to him. I used him as a lookout, a source of information. I am not proud of it, but I try to convince myself I made his life better by asking him for help. I cannot be sure, however, whether the person we are seeking out is the same."

"Hmm. Okay. We're going out then. We need to find Mouse, find out who hired your son, or better still, the one he was hired to hit."

"Yes."

"Er, you think you're ready to share the story yet?", asked Elia, curiously. Thane had been rather evasive about the entire subject of even having a son. Assassins and families just did not go together. Thane was a consummate professional, a master of his art. He was also deeply religious, which meant that a child would not be something he took lightly. It must have taken a special woman indeed to get him to start a family…

Thane considered the question in silence. "I have not spoken about it to anyone. I apologize, but I do believe I will need more time. Please do not misunderstand, however. It is not that I don't trust you. But, these are events that happened at a difficult time in my life." He sounded genuinely sorry.

Elia smiled at him. "Yeah, all of us have those, scars of the past, things we aren't proud of… interesting that we were just discussing how to come to terms with it…No apology necessary, though. I don't want to appear overly inquisitive. I won't bring it up again unless you do… Well, let's get to it."

Thane was slightly dismayed at the way the conversation had progressed. Elia was the first real friend he'd had in over a decade. Being a part of her mission had given him the opportunity to develop bonds with so many others. He did not want to push her away.

-0-

A scrawny youth, no older than 20 stood near the Dark Star Lounge. Elia guessed that he was Mouse, based on Bailey's advice. She walked up to him. "You Mouse?", she asked him, authoritatively.

He finished his call, and turned. "Who's asking?" Then, his jaw dropped open as he saw Thane next to Shepard. "Krios? I thought you retired." Then, he turned to the source of the question. He was dumbfounded. "Commander Shepard? You were dead", he managed, finally.

Shepard sighed, tired of the almost constant reaction she elicited. "Yeah, been getting that a lot."

"Er, yes… So what do you need?"

"So, this is the same Mouse, ehh, Thane?"

"Yes."

Mouse looked quite terrified. "Be still, Mouse. You can change your pants in a moment", said Thane.

Shepard walked up to Mouse and took raised him by his shirt's collar. "Thane's son. You directed him to someone for a hit. Who?"

Mouse was frightened, no doubt. "Sorry, can't tell you. If I did, people will make my life difficult. Maybe even impossible."

Elia tightened her grip. "Why don't I skip the 'people' you refer to, and shoot you myself?"

Mouse turned to Thane, his voice pleading. "Hey, Krios. Help me out here."

Thane took a step towards Mouse, who was still caught in Shepard's vice-like grip. "Help me, Mouse. My son is lost in the Citadel. My son, Mouse! He wants to take the first steps on an unfortunate and never ending road of sadness. I need to stop him."

"He showed me your holo, Krios, the one with me when I was younger. Said he wanted to be closer to you. I thought you'd have wanted me to carry for him."

Thane became thoughtful. "I had forgotten about that holo."

Shepard looked at Thane, slightly confused. "Why a holo? You have a perfect memory, don't you?"

"Mouse insisted."

Shepard nodded, and turned back to Mouse. "Look, kid, we don't have much time, and if we can't stop Thane's son because you were holding out on us, I will personally hunt you down, and torture you long enough so you start begging for death." Mouse cowered in fear as Shepard's eye took on a manic glint.

"Okay, I'll tell you. It's Kelham. Elias Kelham."

Shepard released him, sighing. She produced a pack of cigarettes and took one. She held it out to Thane and Mouse, who both waved it away. She lit hers up and took a long drag from it. Presently, she sighed. "Kelham, eh? Someone I should know?"

Mouse replied, "He was small fry last time you were here. Since the Battle of the Citadel, he's been becoming bigger and bigger. Now, he's one of the major bosses in the Zakera Wards."

Shepard sighed again. "Small time criminals, dog eat dog, I go in and tip the balance of power. Damn it, it's the same story every time. Maybe I can get some fun outta this, though." She fell into a thoughtful state.

Thane and Mouse looked at Shepard with some confusion, and in Thane's case, concern. Shepard noticed them, and waved away their questioning glances, "It isn't important. Let's get Bailey to set up a meeting." Thane nodded.

"Thank you, Mouse", said Thane.

"I better disappear. Look, Krios, if you have any gratitude for the times I helped you, you'll put a bullet in Kelham before you go. Or I'm done for."

She turned to Mouse. "Actually, since you brought it up. Mouse, what's this about a Shepard VI?"

Mouse immediately went on the defensive. "Look, I'm sorry, but it was completely legal. Everyone said you were dead."

Elia sighed. "Mouse, take a good, long look at me. Do I look like a fucking corpse?"

"Uhh, no. But you do have glowy orange scars. It makes you look both beautiful and scary at the same time…"

Shepard started laughing. "Oh you don't mince your words, I'll give you that. Tell you what, Mouse. I've seen a copy of it and it really ain't bad. I'll invest in it and you gimme half the profits. Split the rest with your volus patchers." Mouse seemed surprised and a little scared. "Er, how'd you know all that? You know - the patchers and stuff?"

Shepard waved her cigarette impatiently. "Oh come on, gimme a break. I'm not a fucking legend for taking care of my health and being a good citizen of the universe. It's not that difficult to dig up info on people. Now, the important question is, are you in or out?"

"Well…"

"Oh, god-fucking damn it. Look, Mouse think of it this way. This Kelham guy is gonna be mighty pissed that someone found out about his little assassination contract. Like you said, it'll eventually point to you and he'll probably take you out for being a snitch. But, say you're linked to someone who's so fucking dangerous that they could take out anyone who hurt you, because you ran one of their businesses. Someone like me, for example. You're protecting yourself by associating with me, Mouse. Now, you helped my friend, and that goes a long way with me. I'm cold, I'm manipulative, hell, and even I know that I am a goddamn bitch. But I don't hurt people who help me or who can give me some sort of profit. Why would I? However, I can't fight your battles for you. That's why I'm offering you this. I gotta lot of credits I don't know what to do with, and I figure if you polish up your VI with a slight bit more funding, you could actually turn a good profit. So, I'll ask you again – are you in or not?"

"You'd do that for me?"

Elia took a long drag from her cigarette and exhaled slowly. "Sure, long as you don't tell anyone. I need to keep up appearances, can't have people thinking I'm soft. Y'know how it is."

Mouse's face cleared up. "Yeah, I guess. Okay, I'm in. And thanks a lot, Krios, Shepard."

Thane bowed and walked toward the staircase. Shepard held out her hand and said, "It's a deal then, Mouse. Start work immediately, and show me the money soon, all right." Mouse shook her hand and said, "You bet." He seemed a lot happier. Shepard waved goodbye and followed Thane.

Thane commented, "What you did, it was a very nice thing."

"Was it really? The abuse of greatness occurs when it disjoins remorse from power. I'd generally like to keep that in mind, let it guide my actions…" she said cryptically.

Shepard snorted and took a final drag on her cigarette before stubbing it and tossing it away. "Every decision you make echoes in the galaxy, Thane. I'm sure you've read the philosophy, but that's a discussion for another time. Let's go get Bailey to give us Kelham."

-0-

It hadn't been all that difficult to setup a meeting with Elias Kelham. Captain Bailey had immediately recognized the name, and revealed that he had some under-the-table dealings with him. Elia didn't really care – it wasn't as if everything she did was completely legal, anyway. She was still dead in the records, for fuck's sake. It kinda helped in this case, come to think of it…

Bailey's subordinate had been sent out to bring him in. Elia and Thane waited at the station. Elia fished out a cigarette and lit it, taking a long drag, relaxing as the stimulant took effect.

Thane observed the activity outside. Zakera Ward was a busy area. Something seemed to occur to him. He asked, "Any ideas on how to approach the interrogation?"

Shepard thought and took another drag on her cigarette before replying, "Let's do a good cop-bad cop routine. I always wanted to do one of those!" Her face lit up with a child-like glee, that made Thane suspicious of her true intentions. Knowing her as well as he did, he did not think his suspicions would go unfounded. He decided to convince her to stray away from...causing too much destruction.

He chose his words with care. "Okay, so who will be good cop and who will be bad cop?"

"You be good cop. You suit the role better. Appeal to his self interest, be friendly. I'll put the screws on him if needed. Maybe break a nose, shoot a knee-cap, that sort of thing", said Elia, happily, as she warmed to the idea.

Thane looked a little worried. "Er, I do hope we don't need to go that far…Please don't shoot his knee cap unless we become really desperate."

Elia pouted, "Why not? I was thinking of starting off with it, ya know. Loosen his tongue in the beginning itself…"

Thane then realized the significance of Miranda's accusation that Elia was an 'uncontrollable child who acted on her whims without a thought to the consequences'. He decided that whatever happened, he would not let her shoot the man's knee cap.

"Elia, please do not, under any circumstances, break his knee cap, all right?"

Elia stuck her tongue out at him and said, "You're no fun."

The full force of the absurdity of the situation hit Thane like a sack of bricks. It was almost like a parent denying a child an extra lollipop because the child was being too greedy. And he was the parent.

"Elia, if you don't promise that you won't shoot the man, I'll call Vakarian over for the interrogation. He's former C-SEC...so he should have some experience with this sort of thing."

Elia's face fell comically. "All right, all right. Geez, you are such a meanie." She gave him a dirty look and looked so forlorn, that Thane actually felt sorry for her. Which made it even more absurd, if that was even possible. He was feeling sorry for a woman who was sad because he'd forbidden her the right to discharge a weapon on a man that they were about to interrogate for information regarding an assassination that his own son had signed up for, so that they could prevent said son from actually going through with the hit.

Thane thought back to what he knew of dealing with children. Give them some sort of reward; like positive feedback to direct their behaviour in a certain way. He had an idea.

"If you behave, I'll show you how to do that reload trick on your SMG."

Elia brightened up considerably at that. "Okay. Done deal!", she said, excitedly. She'd been bugging Thane no end to show her that trick.

Thane sighed in relief. "This must be how Miranda or Kasumi or Garrus or the others feel when they're negotiating with her", he thought to himself, recalling the times Shepard's whimsical nature had been reined in by the aforementioned individuals. "That must be why Miranda tried to insist on coming. She really does need some sort of keeper."

He considered Elia briefly. She was an intriguing woman, an enigma… some parts of her character seemed paradoxical. Her oftentimes childish nature contrasted with her genius-level intellect, her extreme bloodlust and love for combat balanced out by her gruff kindness, her sense of justice and mercy… her penchant for the unconventional, and tendency to be a force of chaos, of destruction…her love for every member of her squad (Thane suspected she viewed them as some sort of extended family) and the fact that she would willingly die to ensure their safety, when it was they who were expendable, and she who was necessary, essential to the continued survival of the galaxy…and, to Thane, what he enjoyed most about her was her ability to philosophize everything, to carry on conversations with him on various topics. Thane was extremely well-read; being in a skilled profession such as his, where every job paid extremely well, gave him a lot of free time. He spent most of it reading. She was as well-read as him, and had an eidetic memory, a rarity in humans. That, coupled with her natural intelligence, made her an extremely interesting conversationalist.

Thane sighed. It was probably a puzzle the universe couldn't solve. She had finished her cigarette and was stubbing it out.

She looked at the station entrance and saw a man being dragged along by Sergeant Haron, shouting and screaming. Bailey had made himself scarce, hoping to somehow convince Kelham that he wasn't involved in the current charade. Elia couldn't blame him. At times, corruption was a necessary evil in maintaining a system's equilibrium. It was part of life.

Kelham was shouting indignantly, things like 'Is this a fucking joke?', and 'Where's Bailey? He won't stand for this.' He was ushered into the interrogation room by Haron. Soon, Bailey came up to Shepard. "Well, Shepard, he's all yours. Just try to be quick. Maybe I can convince him I didn't have anything to do with this." He didn't sound overly hopeful. Suddenly, Bailey received a message on his comm. He listened in and swore. He turned to Elia. "Listen, try to make it quick. His lawyer's shown up. Damn idiot must have his pager set to contact him if C-SEC gets within 100 meters."

Elia replied, "Okay, we'll be as quick as possible. Try to get your men to hold him off."

Bailey nodded and said, "Will do, Shepard."

Thane and Elia walked into the interrogation room. They entered and quickly sealed the door behind them. They saw Kelham in the middle of the room, strapped to a chair. He wore extremely fine civvies, it was obvious that it was expensive from its tailoring. A small-time crook riding the crest of his luck.

Elia and Thane separated and walked up to Kelham from different sides. Kelham looked around, "What is this bullshit? Where's Bailey? When I'm through with you, you won't have a fucking penny." He was rude, loud and arrogant.

He was exactly the kind of person Elia hated. But she didn't have the time to indulge her torture fantasies. They needed to get the name of the mark and fast. And, she'd promised Thane she wouldn't.

She motioned to Thane to leave it to her. She walked close to Kelham and pulled out her pistol, the Phalanx. She held it to his right temple and told him, "I'm Shepard. You've probably heard of me. I was the reason you had the chance to get big in this town. Before you say I'm supposed to be dead, I assure you that I'm not. I'm a Spectre, so I can do any fucking thing I want and nobody can touch me. That clear?"

"Crystal", said Kelham. He swallowed nervously. He was intimidated all right.

"Good", she commented, putting away her pistol. She motioned to Thane to continue, and fished out a cigarette. She lit it and took a long drag from it, and exhaled slowly. She let out a contented sigh.

Meanwhile, Thane walked up to Kelham and continued. "You gave a drell an assassination contract. Who was the target?"

"Talid. Joram Talid. He's a politician running for intendant of Zakera Ward. Lives in the 800 Blocks."

Thane nodded to Shepard. Shepard went on. "Thanks, Kelham, how much is the contract for?"

"Huh?", asked Kelham, mystified.

"I said, how much are you paying to eliminate this guy?"

"Uhh, 25,000 credits."

"Good, I'll take care of it for you. Mouse knows my bank details. He'll forward the money to me. I'll expect the full amount by next week, on confirmation of completion of the contract. Another thing, if you ever wanna get in touch, got something I can do, and you're paying a good amount to get it done, let Mouse know. Make sure it's something big enough for me to sink my teeth into, will ya."

"Err, okay…yeah, I'll do that", said Kelham as the implications of what Elia told him sunk in. Mouse had somehow become some sort of agent/contact for Commander Shepard! How the fuck had that happened? Kelham was extremely puzzled, and a more than a little relieved. He'd heard stories of Shepard's brutality… He sighed. It had been a rather strange day, by any stretch…

"That may go down as one of the shortest interrogations in history", commented Thane, as he made his way out of the room with Elia. Elia smirked. "Yeah, but the next time, I get to do it my way." Thane bowed and said, "Of course." He sincerely hoped they wouldn't have to do this to another person-he didn't believe the poor soul could handle it.

They walked into one of the inner offices at the station. Bailey had told them to meet him there after they were done. He got up from his seat when he saw them entering, and went up to them.

"Any news on the target?", he asked.

Elia replied, "Joram Talid."

Bailey's face lit up in recognition. "Talid? He's a turian politician, running for intendant of Zakera Ward. He's promised to clamp down on organized crime, but his message is distorted by race politics. He's openly anti-human, and he's been playing up the fact that the humanity got a place on the Council much quicker than any other race and that the human population in the Citadel has increased manifold since your heroics 2 years ago. He wants to make it harder for humans to get a foothold here, and he's been especially vocal about C-SEC's increased human employment."

Elia considered this for a moment before replying. "Things are that bad? You have politicians who are so openly racist? And there's support for this sort of thing?"

"You've gotta remember that we only discovered that we weren't alone in the galaxy 30 years ago. Some of these races have been here for millennia. They remember a time when humans didn't even occupy the Citadel. Now, with the sudden increase in the number, there has been an unspoken fear that we're taking over the place. In addition, there's also the fact that other races view us as over-aggressive, brash and impatient, and that's partly down to how you're viewed by the galactic community. I mean, you're Commander Shepard, the legend, the great heroine who made waves in the galaxy, put humanity on the map. But even you'll admit that you aren't exactly the best ambassador to show people that we aren't everything they make us out to be. You can see how his brand of politics may appeal to the masses."

"Fucking hell…that stinks. But, our main objective doesn't change, Bailey. We need to stop Thane's son. Any idea where Talid might be? We can use our target's target to get to our target."

Bailey thought for a minute. "Yeah, he had a rally in the 800 blocks today. Should be finishing soon. I'll have you dropped off, you can catch him there."

"Thanks, Bailey. Appreciate it."

"No problem."

Thane and Elia made their way to the car Bailey had arranged for them.

-0-

"Why am I stuck up here again?", asked an irate Elia.

"Because I must be in the darkest corner…"

"Yeah yeah, that sounded cool the first time but not any more, Krios."

"You need to follow him without him noticing. I will be on the lookout for Kolyat, but if I happen to lose the target, the mission is a failure."

"Where are you right now?"

"If you must know, I am in one of the ventilation ducts."

"Ugh." Elia shuddered. "Now that I think about it, I don't mind this job so much."

"That gladdens me", replied Thane, somewhat sarcastically.

Elia looked out over her perch on the catwalks.

"Yeah, well, the prick ain't moving at all. Talking to voters and such. Saying stuff like 'we'll show the humans' and bunk like that. Now, I'm no human supremacist, but that's just bull."

"I agree."

Elia lit up a cigarette, and continued to observe Talid and his krogan bodyguard. Soon, he said his goodbyes to his voters and started down a path towards the market area. "Thane, he's on the move", she said into her communicator as she shadowed him from above. "Understood", he replied.

Elia quickly made her way past a set of doors and spotted his bodyguard down the path. He entered a store while Talid stood outside. "Looks like a shakedown", commented Thane. "Yeah, he lets his bodyguard go in, do all the dirty work. Nothing that can be linked back to him", said Elia.

A few moments passed. "I see a good perch up ahead. Stay with him", said Thane. "Okay", said Elia as she finished her cigarette and stubbed it out.

Feeling bored, she fished another one out and lit it. It was free for her after all. She was one of the three majority shareholders in the conglomerate called Omega Holdings Inc., the parent company of Omega Tobacco Limited, the company that manufactured the Omega Lights, her favored brand of cigarettes. The other two were Aria T'Loak and Aleena D'Envers. Elia herself owned about 30% of the company's shares. The small bit that wasn't owned by them was owned by various parties, personally known to Elia. For example, her old friends from the Kaitlyn, Natalya and Irene jointly approximately 4% of the shares. It was a prosperous enterprise, mostly overseen by Aleena, with some interests looked after by Aria. Elia was a passive investor, more or less.  
They'd bought over the tobacco company about a decade previously – Shepard had supported it because it meant free smokes for her. Though her stake in the company was quite valuable, (the company's capitalization was about 97 billion credits, last she checked, which valued her holding at about 30 billion) it only formed a small part of Elia's rather vast personal wealth. It had been one of the reasons she'd laughed when Taylor had tried to impress her with the magnitude of Cerberus' investment (4 billion credits and upwards hard cash, the best minds and technology on the problem, and all that other jazz she couldn't be bothered to remember) to rebuild her after that…accident over Alchera. She could probably have paid the Illusive Man back if she wanted. But, hell, destroying an evil race intent on taking over the galaxy sounded like an entertaining way to pay back the debt too.  
Her wealth was one of her great secrets – known only to Aleena (who also happened to be one of the best financial advisers in the galaxy, and the one who looked after Elia's fortune. Elia often mused about the fact that being close on seven centuries old left a fair bit of time to pick up a lot of random skills). Not even her biological mother knew of it.

Her musings were interrupted as she spotted the bodyguard coming out. "They're moving again", she informed Thane, as she followed them from above. Talid and his bodyguard walked to a seedy nightclub. They entered after a brief chat with the bouncer. Elia hacked the lock on the door ahead and continued along the catwalks. She saw him meeting up with a group of krogan who all appeared to be from the same group that his bodyguard belonged to.

"Seems like he's worried about something", Elia commented.

"Maybe he spotted you?", suggested Thane.

"Or Kolyat", said Elia.

"Also a possibility. The apartment blocks are close. Seems Kolyat decided to attack him near his house. I will go ahead."

Elia saw Talid finish his meeting and move out the back entrance. She took a final drag from her cigarette, stubbed it and opened the access door. She entered some sort of a storage area. A voice called out from her right. "Hey, you aren't supposed to be here. What are you doing?" A boy, barely 15, walked up. Obviously some sort of stock boy. 'Jim Reynolds' said his name tag, helpfully.

Elia did her best impression of a frightened innocent fleeing some great calamity. "What am I doing here? What are you doing here, standing around? It's dangerous."

The stock boy looked unsure. "Ehh, what?"

"There's a bomb. Get out quick. Evacuation order went out 2 minutes ago."

Jim panicked. "What? Where?"

"GO!", yelled Elia, and the stock boy ran for his life, convinced of the existence of an imaginary bomb somewhere in the vicinity. It hadn't occurred to him that he might be running right into the blast radius of aforementioned imaginary bomb, but he was too scared and panicked to care.

Elia was more surprised at the fact that it had worked. She'd fully expected to have to sock him eventually to get past. "Didn't actually expect that to work", she commented to herself, and chuckled. She snapped her mind back to the matter at hand and unlocked the access door. She came out onto a raised balcony, and spotted Talid entering an apartment complex below, at end of the corridor. She also saw a drell in blue standing there, trying to be inconspicuous, with a pistol clutched in his hand. "Kolyat", she shouted.

The drell started in surprise, as did Talid and the bodyguard. Kolyat quickly sprang into action and shot the bodyguard. Talid yelped and ran into the complex, Kolyat pursuing him.

Elia sprinted to the end of the balcony and jumped off the edge to land near the entrance of the complex. She heard footsteps behind and saw Thane running toward her position. "Kolyat went after him", she said as the two ran into the complex. "I know", said Thane.

-0-

Elia and Thane ran into Talid's apartment. Kolyat had made Talid kneel down and had positioned himself to execute him.

Kolyat saw Thane.

"You've got to be kidding me. Is this a fucking joke?", he said.

"Kolyat, please. Do not do this. It isn't too late. I have walked this path my entire life. It brings only pain. You can still turn away."

"Yeah, and who gave you the right to direct me, huh? You weren't there…you never were there. How many have you killed when you were supposed to be with me and mum, being a father?"

"I have many regrets, Kolyat. I did not spend enough time with you; fulfill my responsibility to you and your mother. But, please, do not do this. I beg of you…"

"Shut up. Just shut up!", yelled Kolyat.

They heard movement. Captain Bailey and one of his men came in, guns trained on Kolyat.

"Drop the gun, son", he said.

Kolyat's breathing was ragged, nervous. He was obviously out of his element. "I'm going out, and I'm taking him with me", he said.

"They will have snipers. You'll be shot down before you know it", said Thane.

Talid yelped, "Listen, I'll do anything. Just get me outta this…"

"Oh! Fuck all this", said Elia, suddenly. She nonchalantly froze Kolyat's hand in place, so he couldn't pull the trigger.

"What the fuck…", said Kolyat, unpleasantly surprised.

Elia calmly took out a cigarette and lit it up. All the men in the room looked at her with a sort of confused interest. Talid looked at Kolyat's frozen hand and then at Shepard hopefully. Maybe, he thought he was off the hook. Showed how much he knew.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, Talid", commented Shepard. Talid subsided.

Elia took a long drag from her cigarette and exhaled slowly, still keeping Kolyat's hand in stasis.

"Look, Kolyat. Don't act all high and mighty, all right. Thane wasn't a good father, and you're hurting. Everyone gets that. But, that doesn't mean you go become a killer just to spite him."

She took another drag from her cigarette before proceeding. "Now, Thane truly does care for you. He's killed many people in his life. So have I… and let me tell you, it isn't a road you walk by choice. He's trying to stop you from doing exactly that, so quit being such a damned spoilt brat, and listen to him, for god's sake. He's travelled several star systems to get here in time to stop you… so fucking give him a break and hear him out. And in case you didn't know, he's dying. Piece of advice: Appreciate the family you got while you can, you won't have it forever."

Elia took out her pistol. She took another drag from her cigarette, before saying, "Oh and next time you take a hostage, if you ever have cause to, do remember that it only works if the other party cares about their continued existence." She pointed the gun at Talid's head and pulled the trigger. Talid fell over, dead.

"Oh my god!", exclaimed Kolyat. Elia suddenly realized that his hand was still in stasis. She said, "Oh, here", and released the biotic field.

Thane was the first to recover from this little show. "An interesting resolution."

Elia shrugged. "You wanted to prevent your son from taking a man's life. I prevented him."

"I am not contesting the logic. Just the morality."

"Well, there was also that reward Kelham offered. Wouldn't feel right taking it if I didn't actually carry out the deed myself, you know. Pride of work and all that."

Again, the room seemed to go into suspended animation, everyone seemed unsure of what to do. Except for Elia. She took another drag from her cigarette and looked around.

"Thane, I don't think we came here all the way from fucking Ilium for you to gape at your son. Go talk to him, for fuck's sake."

Thane walked toward Kolyat, uncertain where to begin. "The hanar started training my body for this role when I was six, under the Compact. I started carrying out jobs when I was twelve. About ten years later, I met your mother. Four years after that, you were born."

"How does this help me? All you're telling me, I already know… knowledge you obviously didn't trust me enough to share before. What changed now, huh?" Kolyat's voice quavered in his anger, his sadness, his grief, every negative emotion that could be felt.

Thane seemed to realize it didn't really make much sense to reel off facts. He needed to give Kolyat something…something he hadn't been able to give before, and he just wanted the opportunity to try.

"Kolyat, I've done many things I regret in my life, removed many bad things. But, you were the only good thing I put into it. I do not have much time left, and nothing I do now can make up for abandoning you and Irikah. But, please let me try."

Bailey spoke up, "Look, I don't think this is a conversation you should have here. Let's go back to the station, I'll set you up in a room, give you two all the time you need in private. Sound good?"

Thane nodded, and Bailey motioned to Haron to take father and son away. Once they'd walked out together, Elia commented, "Jolly nice thing you did there…I woulda thought you'd have arrested us all for that…"

"For what? I value my life, thank you very much…and in a way, since you're still dead in the records, Talid got killed by a ghost…Works perfectly for me, the boy is innocent…the father, I'm not so sure, but I can understand his desire to try and make amends for not being there for your child when they needed you…All of us have made mistakes, there are times we neglected our duties, sometimes for far too long. But I believe that we need and deserve the chance to make it right…even if we can't, and if someone wants to try, I am going to help them as much as it is in my power to."

It wasn't easy to move Elia. But, this was undoubtedly one of those occasions. "Thanks, Bailey."

"Don't mention it…now, we need to catch a ride back, the car I came in was taken."

Elia laughed. "Let's get to it then!"

-0-

Shepard took a long drag on her cigarette as she waited for Thane at the station. She commented to Bailey, "Seems like he's taking a while."

Bailey replied, "Well, from what I understood, it has been years for them…can't be easy to condense all of that into one conversation."

"Suppose not", conceded Shepard.

Bailey went on, "Did a bit of checking on the old records…a lot of very bad people were killed about a decade ago…never found the killer…" His suspicion was apparent.

Shepard liked Bailey, and thought of the best way to put him off politely. "Maybe it isn't worth finding out…let the dead bury their dead and not look a gift horse in the mouth, hmm…"

"Oh, I never said I wanted to find the killer…I do prefer to live…just thought I should mention it."

Shepard then realized this was more like a warning from Bailey, a friendly warning, but a warning nonetheless. At the end though, absence of evidence would prevent any repercussions for Thane.

Eventually, Thane walked out and made his way to Shepard. Shepard asked gently, "How'd it go?"

Thane considered briefly before replying, "It isn't easy for us to overcome so much distance…I believe we will need time…a lot more…"

Shepard nodded. "Then make sure you do what you need to." Thane nodded back gravely.

Bailey cleared his throat. "Now, there is the matter of the bodyguard who died…now, I'm not saying I'm sorry about that thug dying, but your son did hold someone hostage…"

Elia replied, "So what, Bailey…come on, you said it yourself, his son killed a thug. A waste of skin, scales, whatever…I know that he isn't an innocent, but he hasn't done enough to warrant conviction, surely…look, why don't you put him to work?"

Bailey looked surprised. "To work? There are channels I need to go through…"

"Not officially…have him work for you. Keep an eye on him."

Bailey considered. "Ok, Shepard, I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Bailey. Give me a shout if you need something."

"No problem, Shepard, and thanks!"

Shepard and Thane made their way back to the Normandy.

-0-

Shepard walked into the Life Support Deck. Thane looked up as she walked in. She made herself comfortable in the chair opposite and fished out her packet of cigarettes. She enquired, "Do you mind if I light up?" Thane shook his head, saying, "I thank you for your courtesy, but like I said, the smoke doesn't affect me at all…you may go ahead if you feel like it, no need to ask me each time!"

"Force of habit more than anything else. Among humans, the smoke is rather toxic, so we offer the others and ask if they mind if we smoke in their presence. Something that carried over from there for me, I've spent most of my life around other species, so to me, it's second nature to consider everyone on par."

"Ahh, I understand…so, need me for something?"

Shepard took a long drag on her cigarette, and said, "No, nothing in particular…just checking in. How's your son?"

"Doing well, thank you. Our situation…it isn't one that we can resolve in so many days…it will take time, and I can only hope I have enough of it left."

"Yes, I wish there was some way to cure your condition, but it seems like the research project will take a while longer to produce results…and with Reapers coming in, I don't think it'll produce the results needed…" She sounded sad.

"No matter, I have accepted my death; when it comes, I will be ready, secure in the knowledge that I had a role in possibly the greatest squad ever put together by a woman who can best be described as an incarnation of Athena, the Goddess of War in one of your cultures, I believe."

Shepard laughed. "High praise indeed. It seems like everyone just expects so much…Hope I live up to it."

"I have no doubt you will. Your career is composed of accomplishments, every one of which any ordinary mortal would consider impossible to do. It is entirely your fault that people place you on such a high pedestal."

"I suppose. If you want to go spend time with your son, then please do so. I wouldn't like to hold you back from spending your last months with your family. They are too important to ignore…"

Thane waved his hand. "I have promised to help you on this mission. I will do so, and I will give you any other help you require beyond that. Though, I suspect, after the Collector mission, I probably will not be in a physical condition good enough to be able to come with you on the field…Unless you feel I have already reached that point, and my time would be better served assisting you otherwise."

Shepard smiled. "Don't get me wrong, I would hate to lose your services on this mission. Your skills are quite invaluable to the team. I just wanted to let you know that if you would like to take a less active role in order to be with your son, then it isn't something I would ever deny."

"You have no cause to worry. I'm right where I believe I should be. I will also make sure I spend the time I need to spend with Kolyat, and pay my debts to him before I leave. And pay my debts to you as well."

Shepard looked surprised. "Debt to me? I believe it's the other way around. I am the one taking you on this mission, after all. You even refused to get paid."

"You gave me a chance to make a difference in one of the greatest fights ever undertaken. In addition, you have allowed me to make peace with my son, something that I have neglected to do for over a decade. You are the first real friend I've made in years. The debt I owe you is very real, Shepard. As are the debts every member of this crew, and the whole galaxy, owe you."

Shepard shook her head. "I am only as good as my squad. If you guys aren't around, I couldn't accomplish what I have. I am equally in your debt, as well as everyone else we've been picking up."

"How many people do you think would be able to get all of us working together? Do you think there is a single person in the galaxy, apart from you, who would be able to get, say, Miranda and Jack, or Mordin, Vakarian and Grunt, to work together as you have, to be willing to die for the other if the situation demanded it. I don't think there are any others in the galaxy capable of that. They have you to thank for that. You may try to brush off your accomplishments as nothing great, but the fact is, they are."

Shepard considered briefly. "Well, I never lost anything by being modest, no reason to change that."

Thane nodded. "I would like to speak with you…if you have a moment."

Shepard laughed. "Why do you think I came down here, if not to talk to you?"

Thane inclined his head. "I was…rather reticent before, in describing to you in detail, how I came to meet my wife…You already know how I first saw her."

Shepard nodded. "That memory, sunset colored eyes in the scope of your sniper rifle…"

"Yes…That memory consumed me in the weeks to come, so much so that I didn't take on any more jobs, and I was driven to seek her out. Irikah was her name, and she immediately recognized me when I told her that I was the assassin she had thwarted…She was angry, indignant…she could not fathom how I could be so callous in taking another man's life…I thought she was the Goddess Arashu herself, magnificent in all her rage. From then, I began a relationship with her. Eventually, came to love her, marry her and have Kolyat with her…We were happy as a family; I visited whenever I could, as much as my profession permitted me to…however, I inevitably made many enemies, and one group of batarian slavers whose leader I had assassinated obtained details of my family's location from the Shadow Broker. And Irikah…was killed. I left Kolyat with his aunt's family, and sought out the ones responsible over the next year…I did not make their deaths quick…I gave them as much pain as I could…lingered..."

Elia nodded at this. "Nor would I, in that situation. But, I'd like to know, you don't strike me as the irresponsible type, Thane. But, it was rather irresponsible of you to just leave your family unattended, especially considering what you do for a living."

"I made arrangements, but I might have gotten over-confident after a long period of not having to worry…and to an extent, I will have to take responsibility for Kolyat losing the love of his mother…and for me losing the love of my life…I will confess, I have never made peace properly with what happened. I doubt I ever will…"

"It will always hurt. Some wounds, some memories…but the fact that it does, proves that you care…And I guess you want to hunt down the Shadow Broker because of his role in your wife's death."

Thane nodded and sat back, a faraway look coming into his eyes. Shepard continued taking smoking her cigarette. A companionable silence settled over them.

Presently, Thane said, "I haven't spoken about my wife to anyone before…I didn't think I had anyone to tell it to…You are the first friend I've made in over a decade…thank you…"

Elia waved her hand. "It's nothing, and really, there are enough lonely people right here on this ship. Including me, I suppose…maybe you can try to go out with Garrus, or show Grunt around somewhere. Or even try to get to know Jack or Miranda. They aren't anywhere near as charming as me, so don't get your hopes too high, though." They both laughed.

"I realize that what you say is true…my solitude is probably more imposed than anything else…I will think on what you've said." Shepard nodded and stubbed out her cigarette. They sat in silence for a bit.

Presently, Thane said, "Thank you...for everything, siha."

Shepard raised her eyebrows in surprise. "A siha is a term for a warrior angel in drell religion, isn't it?"

It was Thane's turn to look surprised. Then, he gave a slight chuckle. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you knew of the term. Yes…siha is one of the warrior angels of the Goddess Arashu…a fierce warrior, a tenacious protector…beautiful in their rage, a sight to behold on the battlefield."

Shepard colored slightly. "Thanks for the compliment…"

Thane replied, "Think nothing of it...I do not believe this is the last time you will be praised by people of other species."

Shepard suddenly got up and delivered a soft kiss on Thane's lips. Thane responded the best he could, and felt slightly regretful when it ended. "You are a good man, Thane. …and I am not a good or noble sort of person. I care for you, but I couldn't replace Irikah and I can't let you be distracted from your duty to Kolyat; you owe him a lot, and you need to repay that debt."

"You sell yourself short, Elia. You are the noblest person I have ever met…there is logic to the chaos you create; there is method in your madness, and a sense of justice unlike any I've ever seen. You have the right to serve that justice, simply because you need to, and nobody else can. I will always be here to talk, any time…and I sincerely wish that you find the happiness you so deserve."

Elia laughed and said. "Yeah, Sumi and Eli probably saw me kissing you right now, and I'll have hell to pay for…but thank you, and for what it's worth, that was a brilliant kiss. See you around!"

And she left, an enigma Thane couldn't solve, probably couldn't hope to solve, but like so many others before him, he felt drawn to her, for lack of a better word, magnetic personality.

His role for the foreseeable future was set. For now, he'd get those shield piercing mods for their SMGs from that one his contacts had been talking up. Anything for his angel!


End file.
